Gift of Breath
"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."
A Sabbath rhythm is established by God and embraced by Jesus. It is a gift modeled by God, incorporating rest, remembering, and compassion; and, it is a command to be obeyed.
According to the first chapter of Genesis, God stopped creating for one day. He ceased His creative activity and rested from His work. God took pleasure in the work of Creation. One of the refrains of that chapter is, “and God saw that it [the Creation] was good” (Gen. 1:4,10,12,18,21,25,31). After the heavens and earth and everything in them were finished, the text continues, “God blessed the seventh day and made it holy” (Gen. 2:3). The “seventh day” is “blessed.” God made this day “holy,” separating it from all other days.
Rest-day holiness is something God bestowed onto the seventh day. God, therefore, blesses not only the work of Creation, but freedom from that work. He ceases his creative activity on one day. God institutes and memorializes this freedom from creation as the Sabbath. Freedman states, in the Anchor Bible Dictionary, God is the divine Exemplar for humankind and models this Sabbath observance. God is our example of keeping Sabbath. God gives one day which is different from all other days. It is a distinct day to “catch one’s breath,” a day of rest.
Walter Brueggemann says, “This is a different kind of God, a God who rests, a God who says, ‘I’m not going in to the office tomorrow. I’ve put in long hours every day all week and tomorrow I’m putting my feet up and enjoying what I’ve accomplished [emphasis mine].” Sabbath is a gift from God to rest and cease—“to put ones feet up.”
I hope your BREATHE wristband reminds you of this gift of a Sabbath Rhythm!
How is your SR going? Are you learning to manage your self-care through a SR? Revisit your Personal Sabbath Development plan this week and make any necessary adjustments which will help you experience a SR according to your unique personality type.
I hope you find God's peace in your resting and ceasing this week.
2 comments:
Because of events scheduled on the calendar long before Cannon Beach, I didn't think I would be able to stop and experience Sabbath this weekend. However, at the end of two very time- and energy-consuming activities, there was time for a nap (yeah!) and an afternoon free to step away from the "musts." I was able to do some things I rarely do, simply for the enjoyment they bring. I was also able to sit and journal about some places where I saw God last week. Yesterday, the day following my Sabbath, it became very apparent that although ministry activities are winding down rapidly, family activities are at an all-time high this week, needing more of my energy than I believe I have, honestly. It hit home for me that the Sabbath is really a gift for us, not only to recoup from the week we've had, but also to prepare for the unknowns of the week ahead.
thank You, God, for Sabbath.
My wife left town, so it is just the kids and I doing sabbath together for the next two weeks (which sounds a little like work). But our SR yesterday was quite alright. I took my kids and a couple of summer missionaries up to Mt. Rainer park. The summer missionaries have been going hard for two weeks straight without a break, so I invited them to breathe with our family. It was such a refreshing time and it is always easy to reflect on the majesty of God on the mountains. Again God blessed us with the unusual oppertunity to see a Grizzly, which my kids tought was a step up from the musk rats of yestersabbath. We have really conneted with God through our nature trips.
Post a Comment