It is that time of year when everyone is excited about something regarding Christmas.  Some can’t wait to be with family.  Some are especially excited about trips they will be taking.  Others are particularly intentional about the celebration of our Savior’s birth.  And, some, are simply ready for a break/vacation.  I have heard combinations of these answers in my own house.  These are all good things.  However, sometimes I feel like the focus can turn to the break from work more than the work itself.  It is so easy to think and plan from vacation to vacation, as if the reason that we work (and work hard) is to earn the right to not work for as long as possible.  In a faculty/staff meeting at Westminster Catawba Christian School  yesterday, I told them how offended I am every time I see a t-shirt or coffee mug that says that the “three best things about teaching are June, July, and August.”  If the best thing about teaching is not teaching, then you should not be a teacher.  Now, I have been “in school” in some way, shape, or form for the last 43 years – and can’t remember a May when I wasn’t looking forward to a break.  But, the reason for the break is to reinvigorate you to make the most of your calling when the break is over.

Given that premise, I can honestly say that my Christmas wish for all of us is REST.  My prayer is that we would rest well over this Christmas break SO THAT we come back to school in January fully refreshed to do well what God has called us to do.  For me, that means resting from my work as Head of School (that will include time with family and celebrating Christ’s birth) so that I return to work energized to fulfill my calling to the best of my ability.  I simply can’t do that when I am tired.  I need to rest.  I need the weekly Sabbath rest commanded in the Scriptures (Genesis 2).  I need to seek out that rest for my soul that can only come by resting in Christ (Matthew 11).  And, as we are almost half-way through another school year, I need some extended rest that will honor the Christ we celebrate this season who came that we might have life and have it abundantly (John 10).  The abundant life is not the “stuff” that we will get at Christmas.  It is not the things we will get to do on vacation.  It is not even the people we will see.  These are all means to the end.  The end is that we glorify God and enjoy Him forever – by serving the King!  We are called to serve Him in our work.  And, we are called to rest so that our work/service will be all that it can be!

This is true for me.  I believe it is as true for our faculty and staff.  They need to rest IN HIM over this upcoming break so that they can return ready to serve the King.  It is true of our students – who need a break from their work SO THAT their work/service is honoring to the King.  It is true for our parents who need to rest from the “normal” schedule of school and reconnect with their kids so that all are serving God as called.

My wish for all of us is that we would rest – in the Christ that we celebrate this Christmas season.  And, may that rest enable us to walk in the truth a little more intentionally as we seek to serve the King!  Merry Christmas!

 

I Thessalonians 5:17 simply says, “Pray without ceasing.”  I don’t do this.  I want to, but I don’t.  Truth be told, it might be more accurate to say that I want to want to, but I don’t.  An old acquaintance of mine, Dr. Archie Parrish, has compiled a book on the subject that has convicted me time and again.  I use the word “compiled” intentionally as he has taken a letter that Martin Luther wrote to a friend entitled “A Simple Way to Pray” and has expanded it into a marvelous book of the same name.  In this book, Dr. Parrish includes the foll0wing words from Luther’s introduction:

“It is a good thing to let prayer be the first business of the morning and the last at night.  Guard yourself carefully against those false, deluding ideas that tell you, ‘Wait a little while.  I will pray in an hour; first I must attend to this or that.’  Such thoughts get you away from prayer into other affairs, which so hold your attention and involve you that nothing comes of prayer for that day….  There is a saying ascribed to St. Jerome that everything a believer does is prayer, and a proverb says, ‘Those who work faithfully pray twice.’…”

The Scriptures are clear.  We are commanded to pray – even without ceasing.  In context (considering the entire sentence), we are told to:  “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (I Thes. 5:16-18)   We are also called in the Scriptures to pray together (Matt 18:20 – where two or more are gathered together…).

With these thoughts in mind, we are reconvening our Praying Pops group at Westminster Catawba Christian School.  We are looking for men from our community to join with us in praying together every Wednesday (that school is in session) from 6:45 a.m. – 7:15 a.m.  in the Upper School Chapel.  All are invited to join us as we seek to make prayer “the first business in the morning” and to do so with “two or more gathered together.”  It is a great time to share praises and requests, to lift each other up, and to pray – about everything!  I do hope that you will pass this word along to the men of WCCS (and Rock Hill) that we might join together in rejoicing/praying/thanking – fulfilling God’s will for us!

Ladies – we are looking to restart the Moms In Prayer groups after Christmas as well – so be on the lookout for more details about that opportunity to join the men in rejoicing/praying/thanking!