Notes from Yukiko's Desk
Kia ora e te whānau a te Karaiti
This coming Monday we will celebrate Labour Day in Aotearoa. Say “labour” especially in recent weeks, many people may picture a political party. Either that or childbirth! For some, Labour Day is another long weekend, for others, it is a good time for finding sale. We often forget that it isn’t just a day off but a day to honour, thank, and celebrate the contributions of workers. It is a day to reflect on the struggles and victories of workers’ rights, to recognize the efforts of trade unions, and to reaffirm the importance of labour in society.
With that in mind, I was reflecting on the passages assigned for this Sunday. What particularly caught my attention was the prayer towards the end of the psalm 90: “May the favour of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us” (NIV). I was struck by the fact that the Psalmist doesn’t ask for fame or recognition. Instead, it presents a simple prayer that the ordinary work of life might have lasting value. When I think about it, much of ministry is made up of ordinary conversations, quiet acts of care and faithful presence. Those things may never make headlines, yet they matter deeply in God’s kingdom. I found it extremely encouraging!
Labor Day also gives us an opportunity to think about something Scripture addresses from beginning to end including this Psalm: the importance of both work and rest.
From Friday evening this week, I am going to attend a 2 night-Reflect & Renew weekend retreat at St. Francis Friary in Hillsborough. When I booked the retreat, I didn’t realise it would be the Labour weekend! God may be telling me to have a rest; no email, no texting, no phones… That will be my Labour weekend.
May yours be a time of rest and rejuvenation!