The Rhythms of Summer!

-->

This weekend is Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial start of the summer. For those of us who live near the Jersey Shore, that means a lot more traffic on the weekends, especially on the Garden State Parkway. It means the boardwalks and beaches will no longer be ours alone.  It means having to pay for parking close to the beach. And, it means that for the next few months the nearby restaurants, stores, and hotels will be filled with people looking for a bit of rest and relaxation; a break from the normal pace of life; a different kind of rhythm to life. 

In fact, I find that by nature summer creates a whole different kind of rhythm to life. With its longer and warmer days, summer makes it possible to go down to one of the nearby beaches in the late afternoon or evening and take a swim or just sit and watch the waves before it gets too dark.  During the summer, people seem to be much more social as they tend to be outside of their homes more often. Even when going for ice cream, it’s not uncommon to strike up conversations with people you don’t really know.  Life in general just seems to be a little more laid back as we spend much of our time in flip-flops, t-shirts, and shorts.  Summer definitely brings with it a different kind of rhythm.

That's the rhythm of summer!

The only problem is (and I don’t want to be a killjoy!) is that summer doesn’t last. In a few months it is gone. Then what happens?  Are we content with just going back to the normal rhythms of life—rhythms that so often leaves us feeling exhausted? Do we have to live our lives as if we are trapped on a train that is constantly racing to nowhere?  Is there any way that, in midst of what some call the “rat race,” we can find rest, not just for our bodies, but even more so for our hearts and our souls? 

Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”  (Matthew 11:28-29 – NIV)

I find in his words a different kind of rhythm—a sense of peace, a sense of rest. His words remind me that through a relationship with Jesus, we can experience a different kind of rhythm within our lives. I know that sounds far-fetched. But look at his words. Hear them again. Read them aloud if you will.  Can you grasp the fact that Jesus is offering to us a rest that goes well beyond a summer vacation or season of the year?  Rather, he invites us to bring to him all of the burdens that the rhythms this world places upon us and to exchange them for a new kind of rhythm, the rhythm of his rest. 

Let me encourage you today to bring all your burdens, needs, and weariness to Jesus.  Lay them at his feet. And, allow him to possibly lead you into a new season within your life—a season of faith, trust, and hope; a season of rest.

“Cast all your cares upon him, because he cares for you.”  (1 Peter 5:7)

Have a great day! And, let’s get out and enjoy a little bit of summer!

Pastor Tim Harris