January 18, 2022
Hello friends!
Holy baloney, you guys. I am sitting in the infusion center in Reno, and it’s the VERY LAST TIME I’ll be doing this. Every 3 weeks for a year. And in about an hour, I’m free!!!! What a crazy thought. Halleluia.
In the very first part of Genesis, after God has finished all of that work of creating, God looks out over
everything and calls it good. And then chapter 2 begins with God resting on the seventh day, making it holy. Last week in worship we talked together about how sabbath is thus about much more than going to church: worship yes, absolutely, but the central point of all of it is to look out over all of God’s creation and see that it is good. The people of Israel marked the sabbath and made it holy with singing, with dancing, with delicious food shared with friends and family, with wine and prayer and laughter. Giving your spouse an extra measure of affection and appreciation on the sabbath was (and is) considered a mitzvah, a religious duty. Playing with your children and grandchildren, too. All of this isn’t about sleep or relaxation exactly – although that too, certainly – but about freedom from the obligations of work, in order to enjoy the best parts of the life God has given us. Time to taste, and see, and hear, and smell, and feel, and know that God is good.
In my study about sabbath, I ran across a book about the sabbath called “24/6” by Dr Matthew Sleeth, MD. He’s an interesting guy. A former emergency room physician, he left that field some years ago to preach and teach about healthy living and creation care. He works as a medical missionary in Africa, too. He writes that his and his family’s lives were dramatically transformed by adopting “sabbath practices”: one day a week to focus on God and on each other.
“How can we possibly have “ears to hear” when we are plugged in 24/7? If we never take time to “be still and know” God, how can we grow into mature spiritual beings? The solution is simple. And it is endorsed by the Great Physician Himself. In fact, He invented it. It’s called rest. And like all good things, rest is a gift from God.”
Before I got settled today here in the infusion center, I met with Martha, my fantastic nurse practitioner. (She’s originally from Cameroon and has the coolest accent.) She talked about health going forward, now that treatment will be complete: healthy food, regular exercise, and most of all rest. I’m so glad to know that, in God’s prescription for healthy living, rest is about claiming the freedom to enjoy all that God has given! Sounds like an outstanding new year’s resolution to me.
Love and blessings,
Worship Any and Everywhere!
RHYTHMS: Finding Rest for Our Souls
This Sunday we complete our Epiphany worship series about the rhythms of life, what the Bible says about finding balance and peace, and what God tells us about work, rest, and worship. As you prepare your heart for worship, you might like to pray with Psalm 42, Matthew 9:9-13 and Micah 6:6-8. You’ll be amazed how God can speak into your life, when you take time in the quiet to read scripture and pray.
If you are worshiping with us from home, either via the radio broadcast or video, we are so glad! If we can pray for you, or if there is anything you need, we would love to do that. You can call the church office at 775-423-4714, or you can call Pastor Dawn on her cell phone any time, 775-671-5553.
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