“God presents the Sabbath rest as a shelter we can enter.”
- Charles R. Swindoll
“Sabbath becomes a decisive, concrete, visible way of opting for and aligning with the God of rest.”
- Walter Brueggemann
You are called by God. And guess what, you are called by God to rest.
When you stretch in the morning, opening your eyes to whatever the day brings and pausing to take a deep breath, God meets you there. When you take a break for a cup of coffee or tea in the middle of your day, God is present. When you get out and walk, listening and looking, God is welcoming you in the moment. When you enjoy a project, letting your creative juices flow, God is humming alongside you. And when you set aside time for prayer, song, community, and fellowship, you are entering shelter.
You are called to rest.
We cannot be who God calls us to be without it. It is for our bodies, our minds and our spirits. We are loved by God! So what a glorious calling to rest in the shelter of God.
But everything in our world screams that we must not rest.
I like the words of Walter Brueggemann - “opting for and aligning with the God of rest.” This means we must also choose to opt out - opt out of attitudes and behaviors that demand us to only pursue, accumulate, distract or numb (numbing - those things we call rest but which aren’t!), without leaving time for sacred rest. This is not easy, but it is good.
So, what does Sabbath rest look like for you? Where and how are you craving the shelter of God? This, too, is a part of your calling. Start small and pause each day to remind yourself of your need for Sabbath rest. What is God showing you in that moment?
May you seek and find the God of rest today.
Peace,
Pastor Liz
- Charles R. Swindoll
“Sabbath becomes a decisive, concrete, visible way of opting for and aligning with the God of rest.”
- Walter Brueggemann
You are called by God. And guess what, you are called by God to rest.
When you stretch in the morning, opening your eyes to whatever the day brings and pausing to take a deep breath, God meets you there. When you take a break for a cup of coffee or tea in the middle of your day, God is present. When you get out and walk, listening and looking, God is welcoming you in the moment. When you enjoy a project, letting your creative juices flow, God is humming alongside you. And when you set aside time for prayer, song, community, and fellowship, you are entering shelter.
You are called to rest.
We cannot be who God calls us to be without it. It is for our bodies, our minds and our spirits. We are loved by God! So what a glorious calling to rest in the shelter of God.
But everything in our world screams that we must not rest.
I like the words of Walter Brueggemann - “opting for and aligning with the God of rest.” This means we must also choose to opt out - opt out of attitudes and behaviors that demand us to only pursue, accumulate, distract or numb (numbing - those things we call rest but which aren’t!), without leaving time for sacred rest. This is not easy, but it is good.
So, what does Sabbath rest look like for you? Where and how are you craving the shelter of God? This, too, is a part of your calling. Start small and pause each day to remind yourself of your need for Sabbath rest. What is God showing you in that moment?
May you seek and find the God of rest today.
Peace,
Pastor Liz
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