Battery Recharging (2)

BATTERY RECHARGING

A few weeks ago, I visited a nursing home for the elderly.

As I was being shown around, my attention was drawn to a door which had on it the words, "Battery Charging Room".

I was puzzled as to the purpose of the room, so I opened the door, only to discover some 20 or so electric wheelchairs for the disabled, all wired up having their batteries recharged.

Later, when I walked along some of the long wide corridors, and found myself having to escape to the sides as these electric wheelchairs came hurtling down with their riders, I realised the need for a Battery Recharging Room!!

As I drove home, I was reminded of some words which I read long ago when I was a teenager. They came from a book The Power of Stillness by J.E. Southall. He writes: "We cannot go through life strong and fresh, on constant express trains but we must have quiet hours, secret places of the Most High, times of waiting upon the Lord, when we renew our strength and learn to mount upon wings as eagles, and then to come back to run and not be weary, to walk and not to be faint".

Like those electric wheelchairs at the nursing home, we too often charge about like express trains until we run out of steam. The only way to avoid "running out of steam" is to recharge our physical batteries. That is why the Rule of Rest is so important in the spiritual life.

Jesus discovered this in his busy working schedule. That is why he invited his disciples to "Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest awhile". In other words, Jesus found it necessary to recharge his physical batteries, else he too would run out of 'steam' or energy.

Whilst you and I are often prepared to acknowledge the desirability of a "deserted place" in order that we may recharge our batteries, we are often reluctant to pursue it, because we are afraid of what we may find.

I am reminded of a story told by the psychiatrist, Carl Jung, of a clergyman who had been working a 14-hour day. He came to him suffering from emotional exhaustion.

Jung's advice to him was that he should work only 8 hours a day, and then go home and spend the evening alone in his study.

The clergyman agreed to follow his advice. He worked only 8 hours, and then went home to his study. There he played Chopin and read a novel by Hesse.

The following day he also worked 8 hours then went home to his study. This time he played Mozart and read Thomas Mann.

On the third day, he went back to Jung complaining that he was not feeling any better.

"But you do not understand," said Jung, “I did not want you with Hermann Hesse, or Thomas Mann, or even with Chopin or Mozart. I wanted you to be alone with yourself".

"But" protested the clergyman, "I cannot think of worse company".

Jung replied, "Yet this is the self you inflict upon other people for 14 hours a day!!".

Yes we know we need to recharge our physical and spiritual batteries. However, we are often reluctant to "Come away to a deserted place and rest awhile" in which to be able to do it, because we are afraid of what we may encounter. We cannot stand our own company.

But how can we expect to find God in our lives, if we are busy running around all the time, burning ourselves up with hectic activity, until we finally run out of steam and are forced to rest because of ill health?

How can God make himself known if we are just pushing him out of our lives by the distraction of hyperactivity?

How can God make himself known unless we are prepared to allow ourselves to be receptive to the “still small voice of calm"?

Let our prayer be:-

“Let not our souls he busy inns that have no room for Thee & Thine, but quiet homes of prayer and praise where Thou mayst find fit company, where the needful cares of life are wisely ordered and put away awhile, sweet spaces kept for Thee. Amen.”