Honor the Sabbath
For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength. Isaiah 30:15
Being part of bringing a vision to life at work or at home is what I thrive on. I like to break a vision down into incremental action steps. And the best part is, I like to get it done! Honestly, I would rather get something accomplished than stop for a meal or have a conversation. Much of the time, my gifts, my passions, and my dedication simply wear me out. Anyone with me? Mary Bell writes, “Achievement is the alcohol of our time.” We are addicted to doing, producing, and accomplishing.
What I’ve discovered is that I am naturally inclined to find my worth in my doing. But when God looks at me, He finds worth in my being and in who I am becoming. To help me fight this battle of doing vs. being, Jay and I made a pact last year to take 24 hours off each week to actually Honor the Sabbath. It is our stake-in-the-ground to help us remember that we are neither in charge of the world nor does it need us to keep it spinning. On that day each week, our pace changes, our emails go unanswered, we take long walks, read, and take naps in the hammock.
Every week I need to “return and rest” to save myself from myself. In quietness and trust, I remember who God is and whose I am. Ruth Haley Barton observes, “The very act of resting is the hardest and most courageous act I can perform.” The Sabbath is God’s gift to us. As our world begins to turn itself back on, could you, as a follower of Jesus, “turn yourself on” only six days each week? I believe that when we remember the Sabbath, we will experience a kinder, wiser, more joy‑filled presence in a world that desperately needs us.
For Reflection
Listen to Dr. Richard Kannwischer’s sermon on Sabbath, “Light a Candle”?
How has this season of slowing down helped you to reflect on your priorities?
How could you begin to carve out a time of Sabbath?
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the ways that You have been at work in us and through us during this season. Give us wisdom and guidance to know what You would have us DO and NOT DO as we re-start our lives. Help us to remember who we are and whose we are. In Jesus’s name I pray, Amen.