Ever feel like you are living on a treadmill, working around the clock?
Our late founder, Larry Burkett, remembers the day he got off the treadmill of working non-stop. Psalm 127:2 spoke to him during a time when he was living on the verge of exhaustion:
“It is vain for you to rise up early, To retire late, To eat the bread of painful labors; For He gives to His beloved even in his sleep.” (NASB)
Larry realized he was overworked and under trusting. This scripture opened his eyes to the sin of work…work and more work. It is essentially an expression of self-reliance.
Our culture has changed dramatically since Larry died in 2003. A friend told me recently that he thinks we suffer from CPA, “continuous partial attention”. Mobile phone, internet, Facebook, email, Skype, We Chat, 24/7 news… We are bombarded with information, and the demands to keep in touch and keep up are growing even when we are off work. It is no wonder Americans feel like they never get a break.
Larry Burkett made a commitment to change his priorities. First, he committed to stop trying to solve all the problems of the world and to work only on what he believed was important to the Lord. Second, he determined to trust God to provide even when he cut back on the number of hours he was working. Finally, he committed to rest.
Tremendous advice for us all.
Have you seen God provide even while you sleep?
