Weekend Wrap Up: Finding Rest in your Rhythm
27 Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” Mark 2:27-28
It's Monday and the faded glory of Friday at 5 o'clock is a distant memory as it is assuredly crowded out by the hustle of a new work week. There are tasks to accomplish, kids projects to help with in school, people to follow up with who seem to be dragging their feet in projects or progress. The lists and workload is an every revolving door of pressure and relief.
However, in the pressing times and the natural moments of down time, how are we finding rest to be part of our rhythm? Yesterday in Church I had the chance to engage the congregation in two points, be part of God's story in our community and find yourself productively resting in his presence. It might sound contradictory to ask people to engage in our ministries and opportunities, but to then have them be still before God, but they really compliment each other well.
"There is purpose in the pause, yet so many of us miss this invitation."
When we sabbath, we find ourselves ceasing from the ordinary grind and into new territory. We are directing our mind and hearts to new priorities that God can speak into and lead us to refreshing understandings and revelation. There is purpose in the pause, yet so many of us miss this invitation. The invitation is where we cease from our priorities and engage in Gods. This is were the engagement into the faith community you are connected to is so important to reinforce you developing habits of a person who is developing the Rhythm of Worship, Work, and Rest.
Encountering people in different seasons of life I see many blends (at least what they show me) of how these three areas of their life are present. Where they are engaging in the dialogue with God to find a rhythm that produces a restful soul. Others who I only get a drive by moments of conversation as they seem to be so busy and in some ways stretched thin. This is more of an observation of care rather than criticism. As a pastor, I desire to live this myself in a way that enables me to serve others who struggle to find balance and to cope with the patterns of pressure.
How wonderful it is that Jesus gives us justification to put moments of pause and rest into our rhythm. They are guilt free and choice opportunities to engage in that which is spiritual, Spirit led, and can make all the difference in enabling us to be more effective in our many roles. Perhaps you should take the Sabbath challenge also? It is to look over your week and find 5 hours to have productive rest before God. Five hours where you perhaps engage in activity bringing your mind into a place of openness to his truth through Scripture, is purpose through prayer, and developing your gifts by engaging in what he has for you serve in a ministry at your Church.
See it as a new step in proclaiming that Jesus is lord to the point that he is Lord over your time and in that there is a directive to rest and be refreshed by ceasing the work and pressures that rob you of the joy and enriching life that Sabbath brings.
Find your Rhythm!
