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Friday, June 12, 2020 - Join Pastor John for a Daily Devotional

June 12, 2020 by Rev. John Hartman

“Traveling Anxieties”

The summer conjures up images of picnics, the beach, the mountains, or just day trips in the car. After being homebound for 3 months, people are ready to move and groove, and be out and about. However, for millions of American, traveling also elicits panic. While millions of people will hit the roads this summer, there are people who will have a hard time simply leaving their driveway. Dr. Una McCann said, “Whether it’s going on a plane trip across the country or just down the road to a friend’s barbecue, people with panic disorders can have great difficulty traveling because they are afraid . . .” In fact, USA Today printed a statistic that cited 37% of vacationers have delayed or canceled a trip because of the stress of planning.

You know, Jesus was under a lot of stress. Mark 1:21-34 is about a day in the life of Jesus. It’s one of his patented 18-hour days. Jesus is preaching in the synagogue when suddenly he is derailed by the ranting and raving of a demon-possessed man during his sermon. Jesus stops his sermon, steps out of the pulpit, and heals him, and then holds the equivalent of a first century press conference. After that, he goes to the home of Simon Peter to eat. While he’s there, he discovers that Simon Peter’s mother-in-law is ill. Jesus lays his hands on the dear lady and she is made well. It says, “That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. The whole town gathered at the door, and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons” (Mark 1:32-34).

How did he do it? Verse 35 says, “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went to a solitary place, where he prayed.” Even Jesus needed time away, and we have no evidence that he felt guilty about it. Jesus knew that he needed to find time to carve some time away into his existence rest and relaxation. In his book, “When I Relax I Feel Guilty,” author Tim Hansel writes, “Is it possible that your days are hurrying by so fast you don’t fully taste them anymore? Are play and rest foreign words in your vocabulary? When was the last time you flew a kite, went for a bike ride, or made something with your hands? When was the last time you caught yourself enjoying life so deeply that you couldn’t quite get the smile off your face?” I guess the answer to that question is if you can’t remember, then it has been too long.

This Sunday, I am continuing my sermon series titled, “Road Trip,” as we will be looking at what has been called the “Traveler’s Psalm, -- Psalm 121. Please travel (if you feel well and are comfortable doing do) to either our 8:00 A.M. outdoor service in front of the Family Life Center, or join us inside at 10:00 A.M. If you choose to stay home, we will still be livestreaming via Zoom.

Pastor John