It was on this date, December 10, 1967 that the Georgia-born soul singer Otis Redding was killed in a plane crash. The crash happened just three days after he recorded his biggest hit ever. Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay went to number one on Billboard's Pop Charts, making it the first Posthumous #1 hit in history. Have you ever really stopped and listened to the lyrics? It describes a man just passing the time by sitting and watching ships come and go in the bay. It describes a very peaceful moment of relaxation. I wish I had more time to just sit and relax. From the time my alarm sounds in the morning until I lie back down at night, it seems like I do nothing but rush rush rush. That could be a lot of the reason why my blood pressure spiked last week. I need to slow down some and "smell the roses". Don't we all?
Jesus was a great model for each one of us. He spent much of His time working, but He also spent time simply resting. Some Scriptures document Jesus just hanging around with His disciples and friends, enjoying all their company. Some Scriptures also document Jesus off alone praying to the Father. As hard as Jesus worked while here on earth, He also spent a lot of time "enjoying" Himself. We, too, should do the same thing. All work and no play is almost as bad as all play and no work. When was the last time you just did nothing? With Christmas on our doorstep, we are sure to find ourselves running around, almost killing ourselves trying to get it all done. But let's be wise and also find some time to just relax and simply enjoy being alive!
Psalm 131:2 says, "I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me."
Father, teach us how to slow down and spend more time simply relaxing. We know that while we are at rest, we may be able to hear You speak to us the most. In Jesus name, Amen.
