A Stimulus for Tired People
Numbers 6:23 – 26
“The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.” (Numbers 6: 24 – 26) This is called the Aaronic Benediction.
The speech of Jesus was frequently punctuated with the words “joy” and “peace.” Yet, the speech of most gives the impression of having little. “I am tired” is heard more often than “blessed” in response to a greeting.
Do you ever feel tired? Hopefully you do. It indicates having extended yourself in a cause you consider worthy. Vince Lombardy, the highly successful former coach of the Green Bay Packers, said, “Happiness is to be lying flat on your back exhausted from an effort to achieve victory.” Such is a celebration of honest and honorable fatigue.
How do you respond to the innocent greeting, “Hello, how are you?” Why in light of the provisions of this prayer do so many people respond “Tired?”
This question concerns the medical community as well as the faith community. Dr. Richard Clark Cabbot of the Mayo Clinic led a team that studied the issue of “How to help people overcome that tired feeling.”
Parenthetically, there are times when we are all legitimately tired. It is a wonderful condition if the fatigue is the result of energy and effort well spent.
However, there is something wrong when it is 9:00 AM and a healthy individual says, “I am tired.”
The doctors of Mayo Clinic engaged in a study concerned with the chronically tired persons who have no physiological reason for always being tired. They concluded four things to help overcome this negative state of being. They are:
WORK, PLAY, LOVE, AND WORSHIP.
The Clinic was so impressed they had a logo designed using a cross with four equal arms each of which represented one of the four:
WORK, PLAY, LOVE, AND WORSHIP.
Consider them as a daily antidote to having that “tired feeling.” It is a prescription from a highly respected medical source.
Evaluate your life as to how you are letting God help you keep that balance. Are all four components properly incorporated in your life?
Start your days by meditating on this calmative text:
The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.” (Psalm 23:1-2)