On an episode of the old Andy

Griffith show, a visiting preacher issued a seemingly simple challenge

to the Mayberry crowd: "What's your hurry? Slow down. Learn

to rest and relax."

That afternoon, following one

of Aunt Bee's scrumptious Sunday dinners, Andy and the gang sat on

the front porch and discussed the sermon. They reminisced of days when

life wasn't so hurried. They recalled lazy Sunday afternoons in the

park listening to the town band.

Somebody spoke up, "Wouldn't

it be great if we could get the band playing again?" The question

sent the cogs into motion. Andy gathered the band members to start practicing.

Aunt Bee phoned Clara to help spruce up the old band uniforms. Barney

remembered where the old stage had been discarded. Goober volunteered

to repair it. And, well, as Aunt Bee exclaimed, "We're going

to have a band concert...tonight!"

In typical 1950s sitcom fashion,

the stage, uniforms, and band were well beyond repair, leaving the gang

at their wit's end by day's end. After a day of bickering and

frustration they slumped into their seats, having returned to the front

porch. Then it hit them: So much for slowing down, huh?

I can identify. I imagine you

can, too. At wit's end by day's end. Frazzled. Frustrated. Fatigued.

It's like the mother who

said, "I'm so tired, my idea of vacation is a trip to the dentist.

I just can't wait to sit in that chair and relax."

How can we heed the challenge

issued by the Mayberry preacher? Where can we find time to catch our breath

in the midst of such a fast paced life? I'd like to offer a few suggestions.

First, begin and end each day

with prayer. In the morning, pray over the day's schedule -

meetings, tasks, conversations. Place these in God's hands. In the

evening, review the day with God. Ask what He'd like you to learn

from the day's events, then give Him all your anxieties and worries

(as the old saying goes, He'll be up all night anyway!).

Second, take three or four

"minute retreats" each day. While standing in line at the grocery

store, waiting at a traffic light, or simply when you're between

tasks, take a deep breath. Relax your shoulder muscles. Clear your mind

of the day's to-do list. Even if just for a minute, retreat from

busyness.

Third, follow God's pattern

of work and rest. God created the world in six days; on the seventh He

rested. The Bible explains God established this pattern as an example

to us.

Lee Iacocca once said, "Over

the years, I've had many executives come to me and say with pride,

'Boy, last year I worked so hard that I didn't take any vacation.'

It's actually nothing to be proud of. I always feel like responding,

'You dummy. You mean to tell me that you can take responsibility

for an $80 million project, and you can't plan two weeks out of the

year to go off with your family and have some fun?'"

Take pride not in workaholism

(at one extreme), nor laziness (at the other extreme), but in following

God's pattern of diligent work followed by delightful rest.

Finally, concede the governance

of the universe to the One who really governs it. Much of our hurry stems

from a cleverly hidden streak of arrogance. "If I don't get

all this done - today - the world will stop turning." Though

our tasks carry various degrees of importance, the earth spinning on its

axis has little to do with our completing our to-do lists.

Philip Malanchton once told

his friend Martin Luther, "Martin, this day we will discuss the governance

of the universe;" to which Luther replied, "This day, you and

I will go fishing and leave the governance of the universe to God."

Andy and Barn' never quite

figured it out; I pray you will.

Daniel Overdorf is the senior

minister of Fayetteville Christian Church, located at New Hope and Hickory

Roads in Fayetteville. He may be heard each Sunday at 10:30 a.m. as a

part of the church's weekly worship. Daniel may be contacted at the church

office--770-461-8763, or at [email protected].

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