Sunday, July 6, 2014

DEVOTION: Time Out? You're Joking! ~ by Shirley Corder


In the New Testament of the Bible, Jesus says, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matt1:28 KJV)
Eugene Peterson, who wrote The Message version of the Bible, puts the verse this way: "Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest.” 
Do these words bring tears to your eyes? Do you feel a deep ache at the thought of a “real rest”? Yet rest is not a luxury. It is an essential part of our make-up. If we don’t rest voluntarily, we will become ill—and rest will be forced upon us.
Have you ever stopped to read a book and been consumed by guilt? Do you sometimes sit down with a cup of your favourite beverage and gulp it down before anyone sees you? Have you switched your PC screen for a "quick game" of Solitaire, which may not have been all that quick after all? Do you sometimes want to scream at yet another interruption from those demanding children? (Yes, those same ones you wanted so badly and love so dearly!) 
My friend, don’t succumb to the lies from Satan, “If you stop work and take a rest during the day, you are weak and lazy,” he'll tell you. "What will people think if they see you taking a break?" "A whole day off? Don't be ridiculous. You can't afford to take time out."
God, the Almighty Creator, needed rest. He worked for six days—then he took a whole day’s break. If God needed time out, I guess I do too. And you.
Sydney Harris said, The best time to relax is exactly when you do not have the time for it. 
My challenge for you right now is, choose a period of time, or even an entire day, out of the next seven days, and mark it off on your diary or your calendar as "Time Out for Me!" And then stick to it. You'll be surprised. The world won't stop turning. You will return to your writing, your work or your family situation with more enthusiasm and inspiration. God took time out. He expects nothing less from us, His children.
Do you wake up each morning and wonder
Why your life seems to keep spinning by?
At the end of the day when the house becomes still
Do you fall into bed with a sigh?

Do you long for the days when your time was your own?
Then feel guilty for thinking that way?
They’re your children, they’re precious, you do love them so,
Yet they need you each second, all day.

Do you wonder if God feels that way when you call?
If He ceases to care what you do?
Well my friend, that’s the wonder, He’s always right there,
He never takes time-out from you.

©Shirley M. Corder 2006


OVER TO YOU: How hard or easy is my challenge going to be for you this week?
Please respond as a comment below.

SHIRLEY CORDER lives on the coast in South Africa with her husband, Rob. Her book, Strength Renewed: Meditations for your Journey through Breast Cancer contains 90 meditations based on her time in the cancer valley, where God taught her much about taking time out.
Please visit Shirley through ShirleyCorder.com, where she encourages writers, or at  RiseAndSoar.com, where she encourages those in the cancer valley. You can also meet with her on Twitter or FaceBook 

17 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing this, Shirl. We do seem to go on guilt trips don't we?- yet God wants us to take 'time out' and is waiting for us right here - right now! I'm going to take time out today to catch up with some reading!

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    1. Thank you Ann. :-) I'm taking time out physically today in bed to prevent a cold from getting a grip! I'm scheduling blog posts for the next three weeks as I have family back to back starting Tuesday, and I DO intend to have lots of time out with them.

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  2. This is SO good, because it's SO hard for me. Thank you for the reminder as it's something I've really been praying about as well in trying to not feel guilty for stopping and resting.

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  3. Yes, Lisa. I think those of us who are multi-taskers find it particularly difficult. When I take time out from one thing it's usually to DO something else! But see above comment. I'm going to have three weeks predominantly family time with my international family. So I'm planning all I can in advance!

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  4. That is wonderful, Shirl! Enjoy having them around! My boys will be home as well for six weeks and while I will have to work some, I too am working to get ahead so I can have some real quality time with them.

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    1. We see this part of the family usually once every two years. This is the first time we've seen them after only one year so it's amazing. The 'kids' are out from the States and their parents, our dtr and SIL, are down from Benin.

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  5. I'm so glad you're having the family time, Shirl. There is no substitute for family. They are second in importance only to your relationship with God. I pray He'll bless your time together with happy times and wonderful memories. You will, of course, please take lots of pictures and share, won't you?

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    1. LOL! Thanks Judith, and yes, we'll take pictures! The only one we can't photograph is our latest but we'll only see him again in September and by then the ban should have been lifted.

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  6. Thank you, Shirley, this is my daily struggle and prayer...clearly a problem of human nature that dates back many years! I like how it is addressed in the Bible.

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    1. Thanks for commenting Sara. Yes, it's funny. Most of today's problems are addressed in the Bible if we only think to look!

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  7. Shirl, enjoy your break with your family :) I also struggle to prioritise guilt-free rest. Thanks for sharing your insightful thoughts with us.

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    1. Thanks Narelle. With your pile of contracts I'm not surprised rest is a challenge for you, and yet if you manage to prioritise it, you will probably find the books will flow faster. (Pot calling kettle black here! Do you use this expression?)

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  8. Thanks so much for these thoughts, Shirley. I laughed when I read your question about feeling guilty when we read a book. I can relate so well! I see a big reading spree coming up--AFTER I have finished checking through my latest manuscript!

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    1. LOL! Yes, well . . . let me know if the big reading spree comes true! By my experience, when I reach that promised land something else will be waiting in the shadows ready to pounce on my time!

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  10. Thanks Shirley. Have to say I never feel guilty reading a book. After all it's writing better research. Time out with family is one of my favourite relaxes and not hard to do either.

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  11. Thanks Shirley! I will schedule Thursday right now! I have done it before and can do it still, but what I am curious about is, how do we encourage our husbands to do the same? There is nothing like a man in his 40´s who things the business won´t run without him. Any pointers for the supporting wife? ;)

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