Genesis 22:34-38, 42-49, 58-67
Romans 7:15-25a
Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30
NUCC
Pentecost 7
We are now in the big summer holiday weekend. The 4th of July. A time to remember our roots and celebrate the people who 229 years ago had the courage to sign the Declaration of Independence. A time to gather with our families – perhaps grilling some brats, perhaps enjoying some time away from the usual daily schedule.
We enjoy our holidays ---- both national and religious. They not only give us time away, but they also invite us to remember what is important in our lives. Tomorrow we will remember the vision and sacrifice of those who formed our nation.
Too often we forget the purpose of our holidays:
- Instead of giving thanks to God on Thanksgiving,
we worry about preparing the turkey.
- Instead of rejoicing in God’s presence among us at Christmas
we overspend on presents.
- Instead of using Memorial Day to treasure the memory of those who gave their lives for our country, we make sure that we get out for that first camping trip.
The list could go on. You know where I am going. The trouble is holidays have a way of getting away from us. One of the reasons for having these special days is to have some rest and take time to consider what is important in our lives. But often our bodies and souls are just as stressed after the holiday as before it. The same could be said about the holiday we are offered each week ------ Sunday, the Sabbath. Instead of a day apart, it is simply another opportunity to go shopping or clean up the yard. Our children have to use it for their part time jobs. There is no rest on this day of rest ----- not for our bodies and not for our souls. Our burden is still there.
A few years ago a book by Terry McMillan and then a movie appeared on the scene. If I had thought of it earlier I might have given my sermon the same title: “Waiting to exhale.”
It is about four African American women waiting for “true love” to find them; waiting to enter a relationship of commitment and nurture where they could let their guard down, where they would be valued for who they are. A place just “to be.” A place to be sheltered and cherished.
These women were leaning on each other while waiting for that man who would take their breath away. In McMillan’s words, they were “waiting to exhale.”
Isn’t that how we feel? Living our lives on the go without any real “holiday.” Always striving, secretly yearning for that place of nurture, safety and refreshment.
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That’s how Bible people felt too:
- Abraham’s servant had a weighty assignment --- to find a wife for Isaac. Only after he placed that burden before God in prayer, did wonderful Rebekah appear.
- Paul, the great church planter, felt burdened. He couldn’t understand himself. He had good intentions, but too often he ended up doing exactly the opposite. What could he do? He came to the conclusion that he could only be rescued by the grace of God.
- The people of Jesus’ day were carrying heavy burdens. Oppressed by the Romans and regulated by the
Temple to the absurd, they finally heard some good news when Jesus said: “Come to me…and I will give you rest.”
People then. People now. All of us “waiting to exhale.” All of us seeking to lay down our burdens. If we follow the cue of these Bible people we know where to turn. We turn to Jesus.
Gregory S. Clapper, a chaplain in the Indiana National Air Guard, tells of his experiences working with burdened, heavy-laden soldiers who were sent to
He tells of a young soldier and his family grieving for their dead infant. He tells of the forgotten ones suffering from various psychological disorders, just as horrible as the lost arms or legs of their comrades. He tells of the soldier who asked how he could ever get his soul back. And he tells of other chaplains who reach out to these men and love them, each representing the Jesus who said:
“Come to me, all you who are weary and carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”
For these soldiers
Today we have chosen to come to this place of rest on the day before our big national holiday. There must be a reason. You could be catching one of those big 4th of July sales. You could be at the campground. You could be getting your grill ready. Instead you have sought “soul rest” here in this church. In a little bit you will gather with others for a simple, refreshing meal. You will be able to lay your burdens at the feet of the same Jesus who welcomed the “tax collectors and sinners” in ancient
Come and find the quiet center
In the crowded life we lead,
Find the room for hope to enter,
Find the frame where we are freed:
Clear the chaos and the clutter,
Clear our eyes that we can see
All the things that really matter,
Be at peace, and simply be.
Silence is a friend who claims us,
Cools the heat and slows the pace,
God it is who speaks and names us,
Knows our being, touches base,
Making space within our thinking,
Lifting shades to show the sun,
Raising courage when we’re shrinking,
Finding scope for faith begun.
In the Spirit let us travel,
Open to each other’s pain,
Let our loves and fears unravel,
Celebrate the space we gain:
There’s a place for deepest dreaming,
There’s a time for heart to care,
In the Spirit’s lively scheming
There is always room to spare!
