Lent: 3/19/09
March 19, 2009
Genesis 46:1-7, 28-34
1 Corinthians 9:1-15
Mark 6:30-46
“Sabbath Rest”
The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. He said to them, “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. –Mark 6:30-32 (NRSV)
While serving the church and each other can be joyous work, we need to practice the spiritual discipline of keeping the Sabbath and rest. Even when things are moving along and going great we still get tired. We still need time to be refreshed and restored and renewed. We need a reminder that the world will continue without our efforts today.
But it is hard, and seems to just get harder all the time. There is always something that needs to be done. There is always personal, church, and family obligations that keep us jumping from one thing to the next. The problem I have in all of this is that I am never full present wherever I am. I am continually trying to unpack where I have been and thinking about where I have to go next. I cannot be still and enjoy the present moment.
Taking a day of rest means that we willfully and purposefully spend an entire day in which we will do no work. There is no agenda, no plans, and no worries. This is difficult for most of us. We cannot even spend a day with God without a game plan. We want to work out our prayers, plan our Scripture reading, and account for every minute. This is not a day of rest, but in fact is hard work. Instead, we are challenged to just sit still, be quite, and simply be.
What would it mean for us to make this a part of our weekly disciplines? It would take a lot of effort and sacrifice. We would have to guard our time and maybe go off somewhere alone. But perhaps I could be more attentive and patient everyday if I would make this as much a priority as soccer games and church functions.
Let us pray…
