I recently wrote a post a few days ago titled “Jesus was Never Rushed and We Shouldn’t be Either”. In that post I gave some examples of Jesus that painted a picture of Jesus who was never in a hurry. Jesus' pace was deliberate, allowing him to fully engage with those around him and discern the Father's will. He was deliberate but never in a hurry.
We're constantly rushing to meet deadlines, attend appointments, and check off tasks on our never-ending to-do lists. But in our frenzy, we often forget to slow down and follow the example of Jesus, who was never in a hurry.
Jesus' Ministry Was Marked by Intentional Pace
Throughout the Gospels, we see Jesus moving with intention and purpose, never seeming to rush or hurry.
He took time to talk to the woman at the well.
John 4:5-26 NIV [5] So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. [6] Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon. [7] When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” [8] (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) [9] The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) [10] Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” [11] “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? [12] Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?” [13] Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, [14] but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” [15] The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.” [16] He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.” [17] “I have no husband,” she replied. Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. [18] The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.” [19] “Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. [20] Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.” [21] “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. [22] You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. [23] Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. [24] God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” [25] The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” [26] Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”
He took the time to heal the blind man.
Mark 8:22-26 NIV [22] They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. [23] He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?” [24] He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.” [25] Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. [26] Jesus sent him home, saying, “Don’t even go into the village.”
He took time to share meals with tax collectors and sinners.
Luke 5:27-32 NIV [27] After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. “Follow me,” Jesus said to him, [28] and Levi got up, left everything and followed him. [29] Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. [30] But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” [31] Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. [32] I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
A Hurried Life Can Lead to Burnout and Missed Opportunities
When we rush through life, we risk burning out and missing precious opportunities to connect with others, to grow in our faith, and to experience God's presence. Hurry can lead to:
- Burnout: Constantly pushing ourselves to do more, faster, can exhaust us physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
- Missed connections: Rushing past people and experiences can cause us to miss deep connections and meaningful relationships.
- Lack of discernment: Hurry can cloud our judgment, leading us to make decisions without fully considering God's will.
Embracing the Pace of Jesus
So, how can we embrace the pace of Jesus in our own lives? Here are a few practical suggestions:
- Prioritize people over tasks: Take time to engage with those around you, just as Jesus did.
- Practice mindfulness: Focus on the present moment, without rushing to the next task or appointment.
- Listen for God's voice: Slow down to discern the Father's will, rather than rushing ahead with your own plans.
In a world that values speed and efficiency, it's countercultural to slow down and follow Jesus' pace. But when we embrace his intentional, deliberate rhythm, we open ourselves up to deeper connections, greater discernment, and a more meaningful life. So, take a deep breath, and let's walk with Jesus – at his pace.
We're constantly rushing to meet deadlines, attend appointments, and check off tasks on our never-ending to-do lists. But in our frenzy, we often forget to slow down and follow the example of Jesus, who was never in a hurry.
Jesus' Ministry Was Marked by Intentional Pace
Throughout the Gospels, we see Jesus moving with intention and purpose, never seeming to rush or hurry.
He took time to talk to the woman at the well.
John 4:5-26 NIV [5] So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. [6] Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon. [7] When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” [8] (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) [9] The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) [10] Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” [11] “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? [12] Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?” [13] Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, [14] but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” [15] The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.” [16] He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.” [17] “I have no husband,” she replied. Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. [18] The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.” [19] “Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. [20] Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.” [21] “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. [22] You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. [23] Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. [24] God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” [25] The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” [26] Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”
He took the time to heal the blind man.
Mark 8:22-26 NIV [22] They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. [23] He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?” [24] He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.” [25] Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. [26] Jesus sent him home, saying, “Don’t even go into the village.”
He took time to share meals with tax collectors and sinners.
Luke 5:27-32 NIV [27] After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. “Follow me,” Jesus said to him, [28] and Levi got up, left everything and followed him. [29] Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. [30] But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” [31] Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. [32] I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
A Hurried Life Can Lead to Burnout and Missed Opportunities
When we rush through life, we risk burning out and missing precious opportunities to connect with others, to grow in our faith, and to experience God's presence. Hurry can lead to:
- Burnout: Constantly pushing ourselves to do more, faster, can exhaust us physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
- Missed connections: Rushing past people and experiences can cause us to miss deep connections and meaningful relationships.
- Lack of discernment: Hurry can cloud our judgment, leading us to make decisions without fully considering God's will.
Embracing the Pace of Jesus
So, how can we embrace the pace of Jesus in our own lives? Here are a few practical suggestions:
- Prioritize people over tasks: Take time to engage with those around you, just as Jesus did.
- Practice mindfulness: Focus on the present moment, without rushing to the next task or appointment.
- Listen for God's voice: Slow down to discern the Father's will, rather than rushing ahead with your own plans.
In a world that values speed and efficiency, it's countercultural to slow down and follow Jesus' pace. But when we embrace his intentional, deliberate rhythm, we open ourselves up to deeper connections, greater discernment, and a more meaningful life. So, take a deep breath, and let's walk with Jesus – at his pace.
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