https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/gods-invitation-rest/ Accept God’s Invitation to Rest August 24, 2025 | Scott W. Kay © iStock.com/nullplus Share Post Email Advertise on TGC “It feels so nice to finally stop and catch my breath.” Can you remember the last time you had a moment like that? For some of us, it’s been a while. In our hard-working, highly productive culture, we can sometimes feel like exhausted swimmers swept downstream in a fast-moving river, fighting to keep our heads above water, gasping for air. We get up early and stay up late. We never waste a minute. Our schedule is full, running here, running there, running late, running to catch up, running on empty, until we collapse in utter exhaustion. Underneath the satisfaction of being hard-working, hard-playing people is a weariness that’s desperate for the pace to relent so we can rest and recharge. Deep down, we’re dying to slow down and take a break. We keep telling ours...
All the men who volunteered [Nehemiah 11:1-2] Do you know where the term "volunteer" originated? In the Western world, it started being used to refer to support soldiers who volunteered for military service during World War I, and from there, the term evolved to encompass modern volunteerism. Today, it not only pertains to activities in social welfare but has spread to various areas including transportation, environment, crime, and community issues. Therefore, when we say "volunteers," we refer to people who willingly take action to create a better community. Volunteerism possesses three key characteristics (Internet): (1) The first characteristic is "voluntarism": "How can I not do this?" Voluntarism emphasizes taking action based on individual free will and agency. Especially in today's highly specialized society, it requires individuals to proactively add...