Jesus Speaks to Women: Relax

... and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. John 4: 6a

Do you know that moment?  The moment when you are so, so, so tired that you just have to sit down.  No matter what, you just hit a wall, and have to collapse somewhere in the shade.  That's how I feel every Monday or Wednesday when I put in 12 hours at work.  I climb the stairs from the garage and by the last step, I feel the weight of a heavy day just land on my weak shoulders.  I'm hungry.  I'm thirsty.  I'm exhausted.  I cannot deal with anything else.  I just need to rest.

The journey of life is not an easy one.  Regardless of what it might seem from our vantage point, nobody has a smooth ride all the way through.  And sometimes, there isn't anything else we can do, but to drop it all and sit down.

Aren't you comforted by knowing that Jesus knows what that feels like?

I know, I am.  He is fully God and fully Man.  Therefore, his human body felt every bit of the hardships of humanity as our own do.  The journey was long.  And He was on foot.  It was hot.  And He was nowhere near home.  He had to sit down.  Jesus had to sit down because He was tired!  Did you read that?  The Lord of Lords and King of Kings, Creator of the Universe had to sit down because He. Was. Tired!

So...why do we ever think we can go on forever like the energizer bunny?  I know, I know, Jesus had a divine appointment to meet at that well.  But that is not more true than the fact that He was tired and needed to rest.  And. So. Do. We!  That's what I gather Jesus is trying to tell us here. And that's why this detail was included.

That is the reality of our humanity: we need rest.  

God Himself rested at the end of creation.  He instituted the Sabbath so we could rest.  Why do we dismiss it as if resting were illegal? Why do we think resting is irresponsible?  

We live rushed lives, and we miss live in the mad race.  We miss what is all about: encountering the Living Jesus!

May the Holy Spirit guide us as we search for moments of rest and incorporate intentional pauses into our days before we wear ourselves out so much, that we don't even remember why we are here for.  Amen!