A Screened Porch: An Oasis and a Call to Rest

 

My screened porch is one of my happy places. I’m not sure if it’s the freedom it offers from mosquitoes that find my skin irresistible or the view of budding trees and bushes. Maybe it’s the feeling of fresh air with the safety of an enclosed space. I can enjoy a concert of chirping birds who might answer each other. There’s also the convenience of ignoring the weather report. On a rainy day, I feel as if I’m outside. On a hot day, I’m refreshed by cool air from an overhead fan.

Have I told you I’m thankful for my screened porch?

So, as soon as I clean off the South Carolina mustard-colored pollen from the furniture and floor, you’ll find me enjoying early morning devotions with a cup of coffee by my side, taking a break for an afternoon read, or turning on the table lamp for a cozy evening while finishing the latest novel. My screened porch is my oasis and it is a sweet place to rest.

I recently had a conversation with two writers who admitted they had a problem resting. It’s not that they can’t fall asleep, but they are wired for activity and have a notepad within reach. Their minds don’t shut down even if their laptop does. But it’s not just writers who battle with rest. In our busy society, activity seems to be rewarded and rest criticized. Incessant activity is a badge of honor. For some it makes them feel important and needed. We may even feel guilty when we rest. Within reach, whether we respond to a text, or check our mail, latest news, or social media, our phone interrupts our thinking and conversations. Rest is elusive.

God modeled rest. On the seventh day He rested. He initiated the Sabbath for rest. He knew how important it was for us.

But did you know that God also wanted the land to rest? In Leviticus 25:1-7 (The Message) records:  “GOD spoke to Moses at Mount Sinai: ‘Speak to the People of Israel. Tell them, When you enter the land which I am going to give you, the land will observe a Sabbath to GOD. Sow your fields, prune your vineyards, and take in your harvests for six years. But the seventh year the land will take a Sabbath of complete and total rest, a Sabbath to GOD; you will not sow your fields or prune your vineyards. Don’t reap what grows of itself; don’t harvest the grapes of your untended vines. The land gets a year of complete and total rest'”.

Our thoughtful Creator knew resting the land allowed for soil regeneration, nutrient replenishment, and the breaking of pest cycles. When land rests, the soil becomes more productive and has longer term sustainability. Those are healthy outcomes. If the land needs rest, don’t we?

As my friends and I encouraged each other, we agreed that rest is not a negative four letter word, but an important God-given gift for our benefit and enjoyment.

Jesus invites us to rest. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls”  (Matthew 11: 28-29 NIV).

When we rest, we stop moving in order to relax, refresh, or recover strength. But it’s not just taking a nap or getting eight hours sleep. Sometimes we need to take a rest-mentally, emotionally, socially, or spiritually. Share on X

Do any of these resonate with you?

• Perhaps our minds are always in motion about the present, rehearsing past events or thinking about the next item to tackle on our list. We’re left with no bandwidth to add one more item that might be necessary, important, or desirable.
• We might check off a Bible reading schedule to mark “Done,” or read a devotion quickly. We have to ask, is that real spiritual rest? Have we paused to meet with God?
• The messages on our phones sometimes lead to emotional unrest.
• Do I say “yes” to a request to do, when I should say “no” or “I’ll think about it”?
• Can we enjoy our own company and rest from a heavy social calendar?  Sometimes the fear of missing out drives us to say “yes” when we need to decline.

When we embrace rest, we prosper.

The apostle John wrote, “Dear friend, I hope all is well with you and that you are as healthy in body as you are strong in spirit.” (3 John 1:2 NLT)

Like the land, rest fuels us for long term sustainability. Too much activity and loose ends yield fatigue and stress. Perhaps those pests would be interrupted and diminished with rest. Whether you sit on your screened porch or not, rest refreshes and replenishes.

What are your thoughts about rest as a gift? How do you rest?

 

*As a note, in her book Sacred Rest  Saundra Dalton-Smith explores the science and spirituality of rest. She identifies the need for seven distinct types of rest and includes emotional, sensory, creative, and social rest. If we want a balanced life, she encourages readers to examine which areas are deficient and learn to embrace rest. And, in her study Lyrics of Life, Lisa Harper reminds us that busyness is not a spiritual gift. You might want to look at those resources.