Blogging toward Sunday

Image from Wikimedia Commons

The readings for Sunday, July 22nd will be Psalm 96 and Mark 6:30-44.

After spending time with the Scripture passages, examine the picture above. What do you notice about Jesus and those gathered around him? Just before food is miraculously given to all who are hungry, Jesus instructs his disciples to come away for a while and get some rest for they have had no time--even to eat. 

Rush, rush, rush, hurry, hurry, hurry! It is the way of our lives, more so now than ever, it seems. In light of the rush and the hurry, I offer you this poem on which to reflect, written by Jan Richardson.

Blessing of Rest

Curl this blessing
beneath your head
for a pillow.
Wrap it about yourself
for a blanket.
Lay it across your eyes
and for this moment
cease thinking about
what comes next,
what you will do
when you rise.

Let this blessing
gather itself to you
like the stillness
that descends
between your heartbeats,
the silence that comes
so briefly
but with a constancy
on which
your life depends.

Settle yourself
into the quiet
this blessing brings,
the hand it lays
upon your brow,
the whispered word
it breathes into
your ear
telling you
all shall be well
all shall be well
and you can rest
now.

My prayer for you this week is that the Lord will provide you with everything you need--work, rest, food, wholeness and love...

Shalom,

Glenda