2 August 2024

I don’t think I need to convince anyone in our modern world that it seems like we are busier than before, so much busier. For me it is more often that the plethora of options and opportunities available to me becomes more imposing and imprisoning that liberating and empowering.

If it is just me, than feel free to skip this little rant and enjoy reading about the many opportunities afforded to our students this week

Not for a second do I think options and opportunities should be removed; not for a second do I think a full life is unhealthy; and not for a second do I think progress is not valuable. It does, however, cause me pause when I read in our Good Book the many references to rest (Matthew 11:28), peace (John 14:27), and being still (Psalm 46:10).

The concept of Sabbath Rest is actually one of the Ten Commandments that God gave his people to live by as they wandered in the desert (Exodus 20:8-11). God picked Sabbath rest as one of his top 10 must dos!

So what do we do about this in our very connected, very expensive, very task oriented world where rest, peace and being still are easy to pronounce but not so easy to perform?

When Jesus’ disciples are rebuked by some religious leaders of the time (Mark 2:27), Jesus is very quick to remind his followers that, as with any law God has given us, the sabbath was created for our best, not for religious observance as a way of entering heaven. In fact, Jesus says to his disciples that the Sabbath was made to be a blessing to humans. It was designed as a time to step back from the busy weeks of life and work, of wandering and pursuing to rest, connect, remember and be blessed.

Yes. Easier said than done. But since when was the good stuff the easy stuff?

I think this concept (or blessed law for those who need some extra persuasion) is even more critical for our students. In a country that feels we need a law to ensure we have a right to disconnect, where constantly evolving tech means we never disconnect or where success is often equated with doing more now more than ever our students must learn to create space for what matters.

Whilst there are so many self-help videos we could view or read to practically enable this for our kids, sometimes it is a simple as putting the phone down, turning the TV off, or setting the table.

For those who want more, Daniel Sih, a friend of CEN, has made his resources freely available to our parents and they are certainly worth looking at for practical solutions in the digital age. You can contact us for more information, or visit his website and sign up to his newsletter.

I am so thankful for the grace of God that allows me to learn at my pace how to get the most out of this life he has blessed us with, with all my mistakes! I am even more grateful that we get to share this with our RCC students and community to equip them to be blessed and be a blessing. 

Good tidings.

Jonno