SABBATH. To rest. To delight in our God. To remember. An invitation. A response to the holy limitations God has given to remind us of His renewal. A rhythym. A command. A gift. To reflect. To retreat. A discipline. A practice. A longing. To cease striving. to be found. to be still. A time to remember that God is good.
While working as a mascot instructor, I often posed a question to my students. “If you could be any mascot character, what would it be and why?” I received ALL TYPES of answers! Some kids would choose something that looked cool, an animal that they thought was cute, sometimes weird objects like cutips because they really like clean ears… but every answer reflected some value of themselves.
My answer to this question would have to be a squirrel.
Squirrels are busy little guys. They are always alert, a little spaztic, they’re playful, their tails twitch like crazy especially when you chase them… they NEVER slow down. Unless the squirrel is roadkill, you never see them sitting, relaxing, peeling the latest acorn they found over a nice steamy cup of decaf coffee. Squirrels know that if they don’t work, they don’t eat… if they’re not fast, they get eaten or run over… if they don’t DO this, then there will be a very deadly that.
This is how I have approached my life, and as of late, the ministry God has set before me. As I have scrambled like mad to fundraise, to call this contact, to speak at that church, to labor deep into the early hours of morning blogging and reading and researching equipment… I have diligently and busily abused a very necessary rhythym established on the seventh day of creation.
“Sabbath ceasing means to cease not only from work itself, but also from the need to accomplish and be productive, from the worry and tension… from our efforts to be in control of our lives as if we were God… and finally, from the humdrum and meaninglessness that result when life is pursued without the Lord at the center of it all.” -Marva Dawn
In Genesis, God rested the
seventh day not because He was tired, but because He established a day
to remember, delight, and be thankful for the order of His goodness.
Later on, He commanded the Israelites to Sabbath two fold. First, to
show them that He will provide with manna and secondly to remember God
had delivered them from their enemy. Alongside His disciples, Jesus
labored on the Sabbath both healing and picking grain to show the
pharisees that Good comes only in the work of the Father, all the while
taking time to rest and retreat in His own ministry.
seventh day not because He was tired, but because He established a day
to remember, delight, and be thankful for the order of His goodness.
Later on, He commanded the Israelites to Sabbath two fold. First, to
show them that He will provide with manna and secondly to remember God
had delivered them from their enemy. Alongside His disciples, Jesus
labored on the Sabbath both healing and picking grain to show the
pharisees that Good comes only in the work of the Father, all the while
taking time to rest and retreat in His own ministry.
Ruth Haley Barton says that replacing Sabbath with work brings us to a place called “dangerously tired”. Barbara Brown Taylor comments that many of us have “made and idol out of exhaustion”. I have bought into the lie that God desires my action and accomplishment rather than my rest in Him. Friends… Satan has spun a lie that has become the clothing of our culture. The lie that says success comes by doing, and doing comes at a hefty price of our families, our sleep, our patience, and most terminally… the notion that God is not enough. Ouch? Yeah… I’ll pass out the bandaids on that one. Neglecting Sabbath is neglecting the design of our Creator for our lives. It’s denying that God is enough and accepting the thoughts that there are other things more important to do or accomplish than rest in our Creator. Sabbath abuse comes at the cost of resting our bodies’, replenishing our spirit, and the delight our soul takes in its practice.
I invite you to lay down your agenda with me…. no matter how noble, time pressing, or culturally acceptable as it may be. Let us honor God by living in the order of His creation. As we work and toil in His name for six days, let us trust that God will provide for us the our daily manna and give thanks to all that is Good and eternal in this life. Let us reject all things that could masquerade themselves as more important than a day with God. Let us grab our favorite blanket, crawl into our Father’s lap, and soak into His warm embrace as each breath releases soft noises of rest, worship, and delight. May we slowly return to the gift of Sabbath that has always been extended to His children in joy, in His provision, and LOVE.
….thank you for being patient in my lack of blogging. This lesson silenced my heart for a small while. Praise God in our ceasing and our being still!
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30
