Eating an Elephant Sandwich

The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” Luke 6:30-31

Have you ever experienced a time in your life when everything seemed to be falling apart? Perhaps there was so much to do and it was all piling up. Or perhaps an illness struck your family and the end was not in sight. The list of things to do and to take care of can be endless. There is too much homework to be done, too many projects at work to finish, drive children to all of their after school activities, take care of the family, clean the house, find the time to eat, shower, and sleep. It can be hard to imagine when to breathe. My senior year of college felt as though I would never make it to graduation. There was just so much to do and so little time. I felt like I was drowning in homework, presentations, and student organizational commitments. Then a wise friend asked me this question, “How do you eat an elephant sandwich?” I had no idea. I did not even know who would eat an elephant. I replied, “How do you eat an elephant sandwich?” She answered, “One bite at a time.”

We read in Luke, Jesus telling His disciples to take time and rest. They were probably emotionally and physically drained from the constant teaching, learning, and showing mercy to everyone they came in contact with. They did not even have time to eat. This shows us the importance of taking time for ourselves, resting and eating. When we take time we have an opportunity to meditate on God’s word, pray, and just be. The list of things we have to do may be long, but if we take it one day at a time, or one bite at a time, making sure to rest and regain our strength for the next task, we will feel better as we tackle all of the busyness.

Prayer
Lord God, life can be busy. Sometimes it seems as though we will never reach the end. Please help us to tackle everything that needs to get done. Thank You for reminding us to take the time to care of ourselves and regain our strength. Help us to take it day by day and eat the elephant sandwich one bite at a time. Amen