Unplug to Recharge
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!”
Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.”
So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.
-Mark 1:35-39
In our living room the top outlets are always on but the bottom outlets are powered by a switch on the wall. This makes it easy to turn on the Christmas tree lights in December but the rest of the year it makes things complicated. (Especially when your children unplug something in order to power their phone or devices!) Stuff that needs power can’t work if it’s unplugged. Thankfully people work differently than our electronics.
Instead of being powered by an electrical outlet, we need to “unplug” in order to recharge. Even when we are trying to relax or enjoy vacation, we now have the ability to stay “plugged in” to the demands of our work through emails, calls and text. We can stay “plugged in” to the crises of the world through constant news reporting, even from an exotic and relaxing location. So how do we actually unplug from the stresses of the world? How do we unplug from the workload? How do we unplug in order to recharge
Deliberate action and intention is required to unplug and recharge our spirit. God’s gift of sabbath and command to “Remember the sabbath day and keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8), are essential in recharging our mind, body and spirit. Pastors are notoriously bad at remembering and honoring the sabbath rest. Jesus broke the sabbath “rules” that the Pharisees and teachers of the law observed, but he always rested when necessary. Jesus knew how to “unplug”. The needs of other people were always present. Jesus wasn’t called to one town or one place. Jesus was incarnate in order to show the whole world God’s love. He wasn’t overwhelmed by the need or the work. When he was worn out, he rested and unplugged in order to recharge. “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” He spent time with his Father in heaven so he could keep caring for the people and the needs on earth.
Let’s unplug to recharge this week.
Gracious God, forgive us. We get caught up in the demands of the world and forget You. We run out of time to pray. We convince ourselves we know what is best. We doubt that You care about the details of our lives. We break down where we could build up. We forget You love us. We do not remember You can bring new life even when it seems all hope is gone. Forgive us for the ways we have broken our ties to You. Amen.
