' A WAY
•••• WHE R E THE R E ' S A W I L L T H E R E S
My relaxation
is affected!
READ: Exodus 20:8-11 and 1 Kings 19:1-8
I
t is no coincidence that a
vehicle has different gears. The
gearbox was designed in such a
manner that the vehicle, by way
of the changing of gears, will have
maximum work performance
under different conditions. This is
also, amongst others, the objective
of the sabbath. In addition to the
fact that this day should be conse
crated in honour of God, He also
included the sabbath in the order
of creation for the sake of man
kind. In His wisdom, God knew
that mankind has to be able to
change gears as well. He delighted
in his work on the seventh day
and, in a similar manner, mankind
needs to have a time of rest during
which he can, in addition to rest
ing, look back on a period of hard
work with pride.
So many complain that husbands
want to return home after only
three of four days of being on
holiday. These complaints are not
just idle complaints. My research
confirmed that we no longer
know how to enjoy a holiday!
True, most of us go on holiday
once a year, but there is little or
no quality. Holidays have become
mechanical, no attention is afford
ed to planning holidays. It is the
same routine, place and faces
every year. There is no variation or
creativity in the planning or the
holiday itself. Most people cannot
or will not switch off when they
go on holiday. This is the result of
problems being packed with the
beach towel. In the end the econ
omy, strikes at work, the sick bull
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REV CAREL BOTMA
and mildew on the potatoes all go
on holiday with you!
When you drag all this luggage
you will never be able to experi
ence the most important type of
rest, namely emotional or psycho
logical rest. You may rest physi
cally, but your tormented thought
processes continue. The result is
that you remain restless, you want
to return to work, you become
irritated and you spoil the atmo
sphere - the thought of future hol
idays become a nightmare to you.
It becomes your enemy instead of
a means of replenishing emotional
reserves. An inability to change
gears and to switch off emotional
ly, will make the individual more
susceptible for further stress.
At this point one thinks about
Elijah. First he had to live with
the widow in Sarfat because he
was afraid of Ahab after having
announced a drought. Then he
had to flee after he killed all the
Baal prophets and Jezebel wanted
him dead. To be a prophet of
God is not only hard work - he is
also exposed to intense emotion
al hardships. One can imagine
that Elijah wat tired, exhausted
and at an emotional low. “This
is enough, Lord! Take my life...”
But then the caring God comes
into the picture. Elijah must rest
and eat. “Get up and eat, for the
journey is too much for you. So
he got up and ate and drank.
Strengthened by that food, he
travelled forty days and forty
nights until he reached Horeb,
JUN/JUL 2017 • SENWES Scenario
the mountain of God.”
As God calls us to repentance and
sanctification, He also calls us
to function optimally as huma