- Join us for strawberry shortcake and good company on June 29 from 2-4 for our Annual Strawberry Social and Summer Raffle (Hosted by Dorcas).
As we begin our ordinary times, it is a nice time to consider what it is we do and focus on in our ordinary times and moments of life. It is lovely when we start our ordinary times with readings from the Bible that are focused on Sabbath and what Sabbath means as a whole and to each of us individually.
This Week’s Readings: Deuteronomy 5:12-15, 2 Corinthians 4: 6-11, Mark 2: 23-3: 6 (or 2: 23-20). You may also enjoy the book Sabbath: Finding Rest , Renewal, and Delight in our Busy Lives by Wayne Muller
Sabbath and the art of rest is always a nice place to begin Summer, to begin ordinary times, and to continually come back to. It’s so easy to get dragged onto the train of speed and fast and busy and going and doing and more and productivity and….well, we get the gist.
Sabbath reminds us that we are Gifted with a day of rest. PAUSE. Yes, that’s right: Gifted. With Rest. PAUSE. It’s one of God’s Gifts. Probably because God (*the divine/Light/Love/Universe/whatever “God” means to you) knows we’re going to get caught up on that train of speed and fast and busy. Over and over again.
When was the last time you took a day of rest? Being sick doesn’t count, by the way.
One of the translations of Sabbath, yes, it does mean Saturday, but it also means to “guard” or to “keep watch”. Yes, we are meant to guard this time of rest!!! It’s that important. We are meant to protect this space of rest, because it brings us back to Goodness and Grace. It heals us. It brings us peace.
That whole “busy” thing is pretty tricksy. Maybe God knew it would be. We see in the reading from Mark (don’t worry, I’ll paraphrase) where Jesus is being closely watched as a man is in need of healing on the Sabbath. Healing is “work” and there are those who would “trap” him if he does work on the Sabbath. If he heals, he’s breaking Sabbath. If he doesn’t heal.…then what? Are we not allowed to do what truly needs to be done?
Of course we are allowed. Jesus says so by his actions and his words. And truly, and honestly, if we listen to our own inner wisdom (and maybe slow down for a Sabbath time of prayer and listening) we already know this. Everything bows to Love. Everything bows to Love. Love is healing. Love is Kind. Love is not getting caught up in the tricksy “rules” but following the heart which leads to God, Grace, and Healing. Part of Sabbath is tending to what matters most. To not be distracted by the oh-so-tempting distractions and to stay focused on what matters.
Sabbath is a stepping away from the theology of doing and progress and productivity to get back to the theology of the heart (that’s Love). To step away from consuming and power and getting to just be. To take the time really necessary to reset ourselves from a place of being and quiet before rushing headlong again into the chaos. Perhaps Sabbath itself IS the healing.
Sabbath is stepping away to clear our hearts and minds for God. Because, when we do that, we are clearer around what’s wise and right as we do begin to do the work. We are clearer around our words and actions and behaviors. That they are focused on what matters most.
In some ways, peace IS the Sabbath. The slowing down. How often when we’re rushing do we not truly listen to one another or understand one another? We usually meet somewhere in the middle when we truly listen, but we’re too often not listening. How often do we create little mini battles and wars because we didn’t slow down enough to listen? How often do we push people away as “on the other side” before we really hear them out? How often are we waiting to catch someone in their wording to prove they were wrong all along, instead of trying to help them find their own clarity, not ours,… but theirs? At the same time, how often are we afraid of speaking up because we are afraid people will misconstrue or twist our words?
In the Sabbath and the slowing down, we take time to listen to one another. We know that so and so needs a listening ear, or a bouquet of flowers, or a meal. A friend calls these the Holy Moments of love and friendship and life. These moments when we act as the angels toward and with one another. This is when we are most dearly the hands of grace in this world. If we’re rushing, we don’t have time for these Holy Moments. We don’t have time to see the needs of other for Holy Moments and where we might be helpful in this world. We’re too busy rushing around, buying stuff and being productive. We’re on that train with no time for True Rest. But rest is healing. Rest is peace. Rest is love. Test must be guarded.
Sabbath brings us back to rest and Love for and in creation.
Sabbath slows us down to see. Sabbath slows us down to hear. Sabbath slows us down to connect with one another. Sabbath helps us to really see the mouth that needs food. The neighbor that needs a helping hand. The confused that needs someone to listen without judgement. The heart that is lost and needs someone to just be there with it. The slowing down shows us that those are people all around us. People. People in need of rest and a safe place to fall.
Let us come together for our Sabbath. Whether a formal Saturday or a formal Sunday of complete rest or a time set aside each day or week to just sit with Grace. A time to connect with the Love that abounds above, within, and around us. A time to pray. A time to tend. A time to sleep. A time to surrender to a grace and a love far bigger than ourselves.
Let us rest, because in that Sacred Rest, we find ourselves and more than ourselves. All will be well. All will be well.
Community Church of North Orange & Tully 