We've been contemplating specific words in this definition of a Sabbath Rhythm. The definition states,
"SABBATH RHYTHM is practicing the weekly HABIT of receiving the GIFT of God to CEASE from that which is necessary--work and to EMBRACE that which is essential--rest, reflection and relationships (God, self, and others) for the purpose of SELF-CARE."
Sabbath in its simplicity is a weekly RHYTHM, HABIT, GIFT, and a time to CEASE. The primary definition of the Hebrew word "sabbat" is "to cease," or "to stop." In a weekly rhythm filled with go.....go and do....go and care.....go and create.....we need time to CEASE and BE with the One who made us, knows us, and loves us deeply. Ceasing provides uninterrupted time with our Heavenly Father.
It is hard to take time to care for yourself because you are always trying to take care for others. It is in your nature to create and to work. But you also need time to allow God to care for you, so you can allow Him to use you to care for others. Ceasing one day a week provides the time in space for this to occur.
In the BREATHE booklet (page 35), Marva Dawn gives you a brief list of items to consider in your CEASING this coming Sabbath:
- Ceasing from work (creating, e-mail, web surfing, study, dishes, laundry, etc.)
- Ceasing productivity and accomplishment (no "to do" lists, and no "advancement")
- Ceasing anxiety, worry and tension (Your personality will address this uniquely)
- Ceasing your trying to BE GOD (all-knowing, all-powerful, and all-present)
- Ceasing your possessiveness (stopping the habit of CONSUMING or being a CONSUMER)
- Ceasing your enculturation (How do you need to be HOLY, "set apart" on this day?)
- Ceasing the humdrum and meaninglessness (Reflection on p. 34 of our BREATHE book)
How will your unique personality aide you in your Sabbath Ceasing? Go back to pages 20-28 in your BREATHE book to make a new application of personality to Sabbath this week. Review your Personal Sabbath Development Plan. Do you need to renegotiate your personal plan?
In your ceasing this week, I'd encourage you to memorize this definition of a Sabbath rhythm. Breathe it in and breathe it out.
If you need encouragement or have a question, don't hesitate to post your questions, thoughts, and insights for others. May God's gift of Sabbath ceasing RECLAIM you, REVITALIZE you, and RENEW you so that God's Kindgdom can REIGN through YOU!
4 comments:
This Sabbath I focused on RECEPTIVITY. A Sabbath Rhythm is both working with God to restore the world to Him and resting, to restore myself to Him. Receptivity reminds me of all the GRACE God has given me. I see it in my family, at worship, at play, in napping! I see it in JESUS. Jesus restores my soul and restores my Sabbath. This is a day to receive God's generosity to me. I'm his BELOVED!
I didn't force this into a "set time" but allowed this time of RECEPTIVITY to unfold in the natural rhythm of the day. It was a total "P" experience for a "J." Sabbath for me is always about losing myself in Sabbath time. This is what I did, mindful of God's small gifts to me throughout the day.
A great way to practice RECEPTIVITY is to engage your outward senses (hearing, touching seeing, smelling, and tasting) as you experience a Sabbath day. For example, instead of just praying for your food, you experience the food as God's gift and provision. You see the beauty and the abundance. Try eating it in silence. You can also engage your inners senses (imagination, intuition, past experiences) as a way to RECEIVE God's blessings in Sabbath. This is how we typically experience the Lord's Supper, reflecting on the elements and their meaning to us.
How are you doing in your Sabbath rhythm? Are you finding the relationships you need to experience this rhythm of Sabbath? Are you inviting others to experience this gift with you? I look forward to hearing from you and my Sabbath community this week.
Rest, who has time to Rest?
I attended our annual NCM director’s workshop at Cannon Beach last month, and as always it was beautiful, and enjoyable to reconnect with college ministers from throughout the NW. I think that part of my joy is seeing the directors who have passed through Portland/Vancouver on their journey to their current places of ministry. We have been and continue to be a training and sending place, not so much a final destination. But that really is not what I had in mind when I began this column today. What I really wanted to share about was not the place or the people at the director’s workshop, but the topic: REST
Wes Hughes led us and it might have been the most challenging and provocative seminar topic I have heard as a minister. Rest, seems so mundane and unexciting, why should it be such a big deal, and besides it is not our culture to rest. We all carry watches so we can be on time and get as much done as possible. So we have quipped, “I’ll rest when I’m dead.” There is always more to do than I have time (or you have time) to do, but we are convinced we will get it done. No big deal, until someone smacks you in the face with it.
We have revered workaholics in our society and the pastor who is the workaholic for God’s Kingdom because they get so much done, while at the same time turning a blind eye to his obvious sin. So you say, "What sin?" You know the one that ranks right up there with “Thou shalt have no other God’s before me” and “Thou shalt not commit adultery”. It is number four of the Top Ten list, “Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy, you shall work six days, but on the seventh day you will do no work…” If someone comes to you and says, “I am struggling with stealing, lying, keeping God number one or being faithful to their spouse” you respond with, we must do something, this is serious. Someone comes with, “I am struggling to rest on the Sabbath and really keep it holy”, I am afraid my response in reality might be, “welcome to my world”.
I don’t know about you, but I found it personally very uncomfortable to have such disregard for God’s command, (a top 10’r even, not one of the obscure ones like “don’t boil a kid in its mother’s milk).
I have left the meeting with much to work on, and I am moving there a little at a time. But before you start throwing stones at me, when was the last time you took 24 hours and did not work, even a little bit? Why must rest be so hard? God help us all!
– Ken Harmon
This past sabbath was unique in that I shared it alone with my children and not with my wife. I tried to view my time with my children as relational rather than as forced responcibility. I'm not trying to preach the power of positive thingking or anything, but framinging life that way really changed the way I enjoyed my kids.
Secondly, at the end of the day, when finally I was alone, I spent some time with my heavenly father. Again relational time, not force responcibility. I read no scripture and I prayed for none of the regular requests, not even my students. I just rested in God, as my childern rest when I rock them to sleep. At first thoughts of chores and taskes, of my lot in life, of ministry relationships, and more would enter my mind. I let them pass until I was fully in the momment, in the rest with my Father. Meditation turned to sleep and I woke rested for another six days.
The part of the Sabbath keeping I haven't been as reflective about is the personality part. It is laziness on my part. But also I'm realizing that I need in Sabbath the opposite of my personality type. I am sort of an extrovert and I use up my extrovert energy during the week. Besides a worship time and a Sun. Bible Study time, I really don't want to engage anymore outside of my home. So my personality type along with the polarity map is leading me to a quieter Sabbath than my other 6 days reflect.
But we'll see as those Introvert needs of mine get met, if I will gravitate to more group times of fellowship and celebration.
Enjoying Sabbath
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