Recently I’ve been visiting an elderly lady in a rehab centre, where she is having physio after a fall.
Looking around, it made me smile when I read on the board above her bed, ‘escape plan’. There was a choice of boxes to tick; independent, walk with aid, or wheelchair.
So, presumably in the case of a fire, when an escape had to be ordered, the staff in charge were prepared and knew what each resident’s needs and requirements were, so an evacuation could take place as quickly and smoothly as possible.
Being prepared is the key regarding any emergency. Have you ever stayed in a hotel and checked out all the emergency exits and found out where your ‘assembly point ‘ was going to be?
It does happen you know. Friends of mine were once woken up in the middle of the night and had to leave everything and evacuate their bedroom, as quickly as possible. That’s another point of course. There’s no time to take anything with you and no turning back. Be prepared to just go!
Which brings me on to another thought. How much luggage or baggage do we carry and take around with us?
When Jesus sent the disciples out into the world to be his witnesses, and to tell people about the love and forgiveness of God, he gave them clear instructions not to take much with them.
In Mark Ch. 6 v 7-12 Jesus sends his disciples out two by two, and says, “Take nothing for the journey except a staff – no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. Wear sandals but not an extra tunic. Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave, as a testimony against them.” So the disciples went out and preached that people should repent.
Some time later we read how the disciples came back to Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then because there were so many people coming and going that they didn’t even have a chance to eat, so Jesus said to them, “Come with me by yourselves, to a quiet place and get some rest.”
I wonder how we would feel if we had to set off on a journey and take very little with us? It is quite usual now especially for young people to go ‘back packing’ for a year or so. I only met a young couple last week who were setting off and going to Australia for 8 months. They were taking money with them, but not a lot of anything else. Planning to travel quite a lot across the country they were hoping to get some casual work to help pay their way. It was an adventure and exciting. It takes a lot of courage, and I don’t think I would be brave enough.
It does show us again though, how we can manage with very little if we must.
Perhaps we need to remember to focus on the more important things in life, and not on the trivial. So often we get tangled up with the non-important and non-essential aspects of life that we can become quite tired and weary. We can be too busy and not find enough time for ourselves physically and spiritually. I often find the idea of having a ‘retreat’ difficult, as I don’t have time, but then that is the whole point isn’t it?
The disciples went, because Jesus told them to ‘go’ but they also came back to Jesus for rest. However, I would suggest we have to come to Jesus first.
Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (Matthew 11 v 28-29).
How ever we are feeling, and specifically if we are tired and weary, by coming to Jesus first, we are up lifted, encouraged and strengthened to face whatever challenges might come our way. In Him we find rest, and then we are refreshed and reenergised to go on again.
So, there’s a rhythm to all of this. Come to Jesus and be blessed, go out and share his love, then come back to him to be refreshed again. In Jesus we find everything we need.
God bless
Eileen
9.9.24