pace

part 2 of the “after” series

One of the things that is obvious in my life right now, is that the pace of my life has slowed way down. This is probably true for your life as well. The calendar is not as full of mandatory things that it once was 6 months ago. There is no soccer practice, band practice, concert practice or any other kind of practice. There are no after school activities. There are no appointments. Everything has slowed way down - for now. But here soon there that will all change again. The pace of life will slowly start to increase and we will be right back to pace that we were at before. The pace that we did not really like. The pace that we wished would slow down for a minute so we could catch our breath. What if one of the things that God is trying to teach us through this season is how to slow our pace? I believe that God has taught at least 2 groups of people in the Bible how to slow their pace and in reality He kind of had to make them.

One of the groups of people that God showed how to slow their pace was the nation of Israel. They were slaves in Egypt and they were working hard. They were always going and going and going. The intensity of their work was brought on by their slave drivers and Pharaoh [1]. They would work all the time day in and day out. But had finally had enough of all of this. So God sent Moses to get his people [2]. God had a place for them. God wanted to take them to the Promised Land where they could be free from slavery and free from the pace of Egypt. God wanted to take them to a place where they could set their own pace. God wanted to take them to a place where they could rest. God knew that the pace they were living day in and day out had become enough. The Israelite people had cried out to God and He had come to change their pace.

The other group is the disciples. Jesus had called His disciples from various places. But I would bet that the disciples had the same pace as the Israelites. Let’s look at the ones who were fisherman. Andrew, Peter, James and John were called while on their boat [3]. But I bet they had pace that was wearing them out. In this first conversation with Jesus, they tell Him that they have fished all night and have not caught one fish [4]. I wonder to myself if that was a regular occurrence that they had been experiencing. It almost feels like Peter (Simon) was annoyed at the request of Jesus [4]. I have a feeling that they were just tired of fishing all night and all day and all night and not catching anything. This was not just a hobby that they had either. This was their job. They would catch fish and sell them to make money. They also probably fished for food for themselves. But their pace of fishing all day and all night was wearing them out. Jesus wanted them to experience a slower pace. Jesus wanted them to experience life to the full [5].

So as I said, I wonder if that is what God is trying to teach us too. What if God has wanted us to slow down for quite some time and this virus is just what it took? What if God wants us to see that pace of life we were going at was hurting us more than we knew and in many areas of life? What if God is telling us that a full life does not come from a full schedule or calendar, but from a prioritized one?

I know for myself and my family, the reduced schedule has helped in many ways. My wife and I have talked about how we have been able to get settled in to our new home. How we have been able to experience some great family time that has helped blend our family and that we would not have had if our schedule had stayed the same. We have been able to be at home for a family dinner and not eat at 4 different times due to schedules and people getting home at all different times. God has showed me these things during this time. However, there is a great possibility that if we do not see these things in our life that God is bringing forward - then we will just return right back to the old ways. We can see what I mean in John 21.

After Jesus had been crucified, we see the disciples go right back to fishing. They are right back in the same day in and day out rhythm that Jesus had pulled them out of. In John 21, we see them fishing and not catching anything. Jesus once again calls to them and asks them if they have caught anything. When they respond to Him with a “no”, Jesus tells them to fish from the right side of the boat much like He had before [4][6].

Jesus does not want us to return to the same pace after all the restrictions are lifted. Jesus wants to be better after. Now, while I understand - and so does Jesus - that some of the things on the schedule are just going to be there. Activities, appointments, plays, concerts and so on. But what Jesus wants us to see or ask ourselves - does those things bump more important things off the schedule. Are we making an effort to put the most important things on the schedule and working the other things around it?

Are we trying to have “life to the full” or just fill up life?

____________________

[1] “So they put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labor, and they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh. But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites and worked them ruthlessly. They made their lives bitter with harsh labor in brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their harsh labor the Egyptians worked them ruthlessly.” - Exodus 1:11-14 NIV

[2] Exodus 3

[3] Matthew 4:18-22 + Luke 5

[4] “When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.’ Simon answered, ‘Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.’” Luke 5:4-5 NIV

[5] “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” - John 10:10 NIV

[6] “‘I’m going out to fish,’ Simon Peter told them, and they said, ‘We’ll go with you.’ So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. He called out to them, ‘Friends, haven’t you any fish?’ ‘No,’ they answered. He said, ‘Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.’ When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.” John 21:3-6 NIV