Open this gift!
One of God’s gifts to us is the gift of rest. Why is it so hard to receive that gift? Maybe August would be a good month to give it a try! Summer, with its weather and morning and evening light and perhaps a shift in routine, might provide you with an extra opportunity to rest. Let me invite you to consider what this gift is and how to embrace it.
Part of our rhythm as a community is to receive the gift of Sabbath rest. God set aside one day of the week and invited his people to rest just as he did. After he created the earth, Genesis tells us that he took the seventh day to delight in what he had made (Genesis 2:2-3). And so as God’s people were getting to know him, he invited them to rest from their work just as God did from his, to delight in this day – delight in all that God has given, delight in his presence, delight in the community of people around you (Exodus 20:8-11; Deuteronomy 5:12-15).
What might that actually look like? I love Mark Buchanan’s definition of Sabbath: “Cease from that which is necessary, embrace that which gives life” (from The Rest of God).
Sabbath is not just leisure, though you might find that some of the activities you’re most drawn to to relax are good beginning points for connecting with God. Sabbath is about embracing Life. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6). He said, “I have come that you might have life, and life to the full!” (John 10:10) When we practice Sabbath, we intentionally seek connection with Life, with the Spirit. And that intentionally is contrasted with what so often fills many of our days: the pursuit of work, progress, money, achievement, goals, self-fulfillment. Instead, we’re pursuing a person– God himself.
Summer is a great time to experiment and find what might prove to be good points of connection for you with God! If you really want a deep dive, this book has a thorough assessment at the back to consider ways that people have connected with God.
A quick start might be to try one hour a day – maybe 1 hour where we’re getting extra light before you would normally wake up or an evening hour where we have some extra light– and intentionally choose an out-of-routine rhythm for connecting with God. Put down your phone and look out at the trees. Read Scripture. Create art. Go for a walk.
I’m leaning into expressing gratitude during my time of Sabbath this summer. I’m often grateful, but how often do I say it to God outloud? I’m finding such connection with God as I tell him aloud what I’m delighting in that he has made. I’m loving paddleboarding on Friday mornings. Seeing what new surprises God has in nature prompts thanks. We’ve delighted in orcas, dall porpoises, even a funny crab that because of a strategically placed barnacle looked like a pirate. We pause mid-paddle to ask, “What are you thankful for this week?”
It’s such a gift, friends, to worship a God who would pause to delight in us. May you find the space to delight in him.
