Last week I posted my blog Sabbath out of a place of overflow from what the Father has been showing me about Sabbath.
I love how it turned out, it’s seemingly shallow, but a lot like Sabbath, more you dig the more you find. Even when I was writing this poem, I felt led to post a breakdown of the words/thoughts included in this poem. Because sometimes we need art and beauty to reveal deeper Truths to our hearts, and sometimes we just need to understand Truth at a deeper level. That understanding then allows us to receive the next level of beauty, and so on and so forth.
So without further introduction, here’s the breakdown of my poem, Sabbath.
Sabbath
Sun, stars, earth, and heavens on high
Flying, swimming, crawling creatures on earth and in ocean’s tide
Prepared the crowning Glory of all creation to then abide
The last simply good day of eternity passed by
This first stanza is really simple. Everything that God had created in the first 5 days was setting up the “crowning Glory of all creation”, us. The stage was set, not only Earth, but the entire universe was set in place and made ready for us to be created.
Also, in the first 5 days of creation God said everything was “good”. But the 5th day would be the last time that God said that everything was simply “good”. God declared that the day that man was created, the 6th day, was not only “good”, but it was “very good”. And I believe He hasn’t changed His mind. I believe that the 5th day, was the very last simply “good” day in all eternity.
A Breath of Life that left all else gasping for sky
Life that was given was laid down for one to confide
A prophetic price gladly paid for a bride at his side
Blessing of God as the three became I
This stanza gets way more poetic and has multiple meanings. I’ll try to keep this as concise as I can.
The first line addresses that something was very different about man being created. God did not speak us into being. He formed us out of the dirt (the simplest and first form of creation) and then Breathed Life into us (unexplainable/unfathomable form of creation). Nothing else in all creation received the Breath of Life, I could imagine the whole universe standing still to watch this Holy moment! Of course we usually think of Breath of Life equating to air, but air had already been created. This was something new. The Breath of Life was the creation of Spirit, an eternal being, and the only other creation made in the Image of the Creator. So the play on words “all else gasping for sky” is used to signify the Holiness of this moment as well as show the supremacy of the Breath of Life over physical breath.
The next two lines have a double meaning. One is showing that Adam was given life by God and then when no suitable helper was found, he was laid down and God pierced his side to form Eve (who would become his bride). The second meaning is mirroring what Christ did for his Bride, the church. Jesus prophetically and poetically redeemed Adam and Eve. He was given human life, and He laid himself down, and was pierced so He could be reunited with His Bride. Also through His death and resurrection we were given the Holy Spirit, “one to confide”.
The last line of this stanza also has a double meaning. The first is that Adam, Eve, and God were untied and intimate. There was nothing to separate them, their relationship was perfect. Secondly pointing to Jesus again, through Jesus’ Life we are finally able to see God in a more holistic way. The Three were finally revealed and explained to us. God has always been in community “Let US create mankind in OUR own image.” This leads to the last point of this line, there are three parts to our relationship with God. My part, His part, and our part. I have to walk in my true Identity (intimacy with myself), live with others who hold me to that standard (intimacy with others), and celebrate in my full submission to Christ (intimacy with God). We are meant to live out this relationship with all three becoming one.
Next morning broke to God’s greatest delight
As innocence, beauty, and untaught praise bursted forth as an offering
The first day that could be understood, felt, and brought longing to sing
The Father of all creation, paused in all of His Might
Ah finally, we’ve made it to the point of this poem, Sabbath.
The first two lines of this section speak to the expectation and celebration that God had for His children and His children’s reciprocation of that Joy. The thought of what communion with God looked like on that first day makes my imagination run wild. There was nothing in-between Adam, Eve, and God. There was no history of praise to box in their worship. God being Love to His Children that inspired a response of Love and Worship untainted or blemished by anything that would make them question God’s Goodness. No part of creation judging how they worshipped or expressed their Love back to God. No insecurity of how they looked or sounded. No pressure of having praise look any certain way. But worship would have came as naturally as breathing, which in fact when you think about it, isn’t natural at all. It’s necessary. But anyway, there are already enough deep thoughts here so we’ll move on.
The third line is about the Sabbath being the first day that could be understood, the first day that creation could receive and know who He is. Now we’re getting into some good stuff about Sabbath. The Father has been showing me that my week starts from Sabbath, because it’s the day I can set my vision towards what is real and who He is for this upcoming week. I don’t look forward to crashing on Sabbath, it’s where I live from. It’s clarity and vision for where I’m going, not a shelter where I hide for a day. The other thought for this line is that I believe that the Father bursted forth in song over us! Finally something could understand and know Him like nothing else could. Selah.
The last line is very simple. We are never strong enough to not Sabbath.
The Creator, audaciously and humbly rested in all creations sight
Even before what tasted rebellion would sting
He showed what living from Rest would bring
The freshest of bones and strongest of hearts still were not ready for their birthright
The first line speaks to this: Sabbath is humility. God humbled himself to do nothing. Stop and think about that. God humbled himself to do nothing.
The last three lines of this stanza encompass two thoughts. One, Sabbath was created before sin. It is not a result of disobedience or rebellion, it was founded at the very beginning. It is not a day of repentance. We may repent on that day, but that’s not what Sabbath was made for. It was created when we had a perfect, blameless relationship with God. Which leads us into the second thought.
Two, Sabbath was created for rest and so Adam and Eve would know who they were and Who’s they were. They were not ready to tend the garden and to steward the Earth. Even though they were just created. We are meant to live FROM rest not FOR rest. They were the strongest, most capable human beings ever in existence, and they also were without sin or blemish, but they still weren’t ready for the job God had for them. They needed to spend time with the Creator and learn who they were and who He is before they could do His Will on Earth. How can we bring and establish His Kingdom without knowing these things?
Last point, though we may need it, Sabbath is not even about physical rest.
The first lesson taught was a lesson to Be
A Holy day, from where we can only Truly see
Here we are, the last stanza! These lines mean a lot, but I’ll leave you with just a few final thoughts.
We have had to learn from the beginning that we don’t need to earn what God gives us. Learning to Be is one of the hardest lessons we have to learn in life. God wants you! He wants to show you Abundant Life! It begins in the secret place. We just have to Be with Him.
Lastly Sabbath brings perspective. Unity with Him means that were on the same page. I see Him, He sees me, and I don’t have any more room for other opinions or “facts”. Sabbath allows me to see everything through His Eyes. This new perspective gives me strength and solid ground to stand on, even through the toughest storm.
Thank you all for journeying with me! If this encouraged you, please let me know!
If you want to partner with me, please do one or more of the following; add me to your prayer list, contact me to get added to my Facebook page with non-public updates, and/or help me finish my last bit of fundraising! I have about $2,000 more to raise by January for this final season with the WR.
Love you all!
