The lazy days of summer”: Reality or wistful dreams? If we’re over twenty the lazy part disappears, especially if we’re juggling work, company, opening up cabins, lake outings, camping, travel, leading church camps or conferences, and etc. Great for the memory books, but each comes with overwhelming, draining agendas,—if we let them.
For example we’ve driven in weekend traffic to the family cabin desperate for R&R to regroup. But we hear, “Hey, dad, super. You’re here. Me and my friends are ready for skiing!” The dad part of us swells with joy and pride, and we pull out the boat keys.
Jesus too, found Himself in similar predicaments. Matthew 14 tells us He sought solitude with His Father over the beheading of his friend and cousin, John the Baptist. Instead, He took pity on the crowd who’d followed, and healed them (NIV, V. 14). Although not all were cured, later to the disciples He said, “‘Get into the boat, and go on ahead.’ Then He went up on a mountainside by Himself to pray, alone” (V.23).
Like Jesus, seeing the immediate, we push ourselves into high gear to bring joy, laughter, and perfection to every circumstance. However, unlike Jesus, we make no choices in setting boundaries and continue to run, please, and fix leaving our sagging spirit depleted.
A prevalent theme in the Gospels is Jesus example of seeking solitude, “ . . .the crowds pursued Him to listen and to be healed. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed” (Luke 5: 15-16).
Was Jesus neglectful? On the contrary, in Mark 6: 32 we read: “ . . . many came and went and they did not even have time to eat. So they [finally] departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves.” The seemingly demanding, urgent needs never governed His days.
Jesus didn’t begin His ministry, deal with emotions, and care for souls He compassionately loved, or taught multitudes or His disciples, before revitalizing His spirit with His Father seeking direction. And His example, as part man, showed us making choices by setting boundaries are mandatory for spiritual growth and emotional health—during any season.
But the ultimate example is His Heavenly Father: “Then God saw everything He had made was very good” (Genesis 1: 31). Which meant He didn’t go back and bake extra trays of exotic, tasty veggies for Adam and Eve: take them for additional spins around the garden, or felt He needed additional notes, in a larger font, reminding them what they could, and couldn’t eat. Rather, satisfied with, as is, He smiled, and on the 7th day, He rested (Genesis 2: 2).
The lazy days of summer are no longer wistful dreams, but ours for the taking!