You grew weary from your many wanderings,
but you did not say, “It is no use!”
You found your desire rekindled,
and so you did not weaken.
—Isaiah 57: 10
As I write this, we are in the thick of “Maycember,” a month filled with wonderful, beautiful chaos as we try to fit all the things into our schedule. We are longing for summer, for less-filled schedules, and a slower pace of life.
Except when summer arrives, it brings:
- Busy, active, full days entertaining kids
- Long car rides, flights, and travel that leads to short fuses and weary travelers
- Chasing the “perfect” summer with adventures & experiences
- Escaping our daily life in hopes of finding rest
Yet, little rest is actually found in summer. Sometimes, we hit August and wonder if we had a break at all! In the midst of all that chasing, we actually didn’t rest at all. Sometimes, summers are so full of chaos that we end up wandering away from that which keeps us grounded—still feeling like we are lost in the wilderness, like the Israelites have felt for many centuries.
Written for a people that just aren’t getting it, the book of Isaiah is trying to encourage folks to return to God before it’s too late. Fearing God’s judgment upon all, the tired and weary are encouraged to return to God.
“You grew weary from your many wanderings.” Not only does this apply to the weariness felt by the Israelites, it also applies to us today. We try to “do” all the things. We try to “be” all the things. Then, we find ourselves wondering why we are so exhausted and why we feel so far from God.
We truly are not living into who and whom God calls us to be. So, we turn to summer. A couple of months full of sun, vacations, and perhaps…rest.
Yes, summer provides rest through longer conversations, intentional time apart from the busyness of the school year and remembering who we are beyond the Google calendar. These are great opportunities to reflect and prepare our bodies and souls for the fall to come. But even during the summer, we still need a different kind of rest.
We need the rest that restores our souls, that causes us to inherit God’s holy mountains, that comforts us when we mourn. We need rest that gives us peace. I know I do.
This summer, turn away from the busyness and turn towards the stillness that God offers your weary soul.
Susan Jackson is a deacon serving at St. Paul’s, Wilmington. She loves Reese’s cups, Disney, the beach, and her 14-yr-old Shih Tzu, who rules the house. With the determination to try new things this year, she has recently discovered Pilates and, while she will never be Chef Ramsey, wants to grow in her cooking skills.
To Consider
Am I trying to escape exhaustion or actually heal from it?
Where is God inviting me to slow down?
What would a spiritually restful summer look like?
Prayer
God, we are exhausted from our wanderings, our schedules, our busyness. Draw us near to you; helping us to breathe and find true rest. Quiet our restless hearts by filling us with peace and comfort. Amen.