For us weary ones...
I'm having trouble focusing. I'm not quite sure that I can safely say exactly what it is that is creating this sort of distraction, but it's very annoying. I'm constantly thinking, but nothing definitive is coming out. Maybe I'm just plain thinking too much?
So, although Mrs. Cumbee's invitation to talk a bit more about modesty is very appealing (perhaps Kelly M and I could collaborate? Can Basement Tapes count as books?), I believe the safest thing for me to do is to discuss what has most recently been on my mind.
Yesterday and today I read Celebrating the Sabbath, by Bruce A. Ray. Although it was a very easy read, it was remarkably informative, biblical and willing to speak to the reality of our wants and needs (i.e., our humaness, I suppose).
I was most struck by the constancy of the Sabbath in God's Word, ordinances and covenant. Being "reformed" and all, I thought I realized that the entire Bible is about Jesus, that there's no such thing as the OT God and the NT God, but I'm wowed (again) by how much my mind needs transforming. I have a problem grasping that God still wants us to celebrate the Sabbath, but that it is a different sort of Sabbath than what the Israelites celebrated. Different in form, but not essence. If Jesus claims He is the Lord of the Sabbath, then He is and was and always will be. The Sabbath is the Sabbath. But I lack understanding as to what that means. Why do we celebrate on the Lord's Day? What happened to a seventh day rest? But I'm digressing - I could happily lose myself in thought after unanswerable/irrelevant/foolish thought.
What I walked away with was the jarring realization that although I "rest" on the Sabbath (abstaining from work), I do not seek God's rest and refreshment earnestly and joyfully. The author says that "God gives us the Sabbath as a day when we can pause from our work and turn our whole attention to our Creator as the source of our life, breath and refreshment." Do I even know what rest is?? Jesus offers me rest like I have never known. Geez...I am always surprised at how often I attempt to strip myself of God's promises and goodness. Nevertheless, God is faithful and just thinking about it makes me very happy Sunday is near...
posted by Kelly @ 7:50 PM
8 Comments:
Any chance I could read that book . . . oh wait,is it ok to read it on the Sabbath? ;)
Maybe I had better wait until after Spring Break and we move.
Love,
Rose
P.S. It's been really fun reading your blog this morning Kelly.
Rosalita,
Of course you may borrow it! (Although, now that I think of it, I believe it may be Miss Kelly M's - but I'm sure she won't mind...)
And I think it might make a great read for a Sabbath afternoon. In fact, I was thinking that, coupled with a few key Scriptures, the reading of some passages from this book as a Sabbath tradition might be useful in teaching me and reminding to keep the Sabbath holy and joyful.
Hey There Kelly,
These days, if I stay awake on Sunday afternoons, that's a monumental feat. I try, but sleep comes altogether too naturally. :) I really would enjoy reading that book though.
By thw way, how did you add people's blog's to your site? I was looking at ours and I didn't see how to do that. I'm probably missing something obvious.
Rose,
I hope you do have rest this Sabbath! :)
To add the sites, I have to go into the template and work a little HTML (of which I knew nothing, and now - thanks to John L and Andrew J - know a little). If you want more info, give me a call. :)
Today is the sabbath, and I took a nice nap. It was great! Kelly, I think that abstaining from work on the Sabbath is great, something of which I'm guilty of, but I'm not sure what it means to "rest" in the Lord? Other than coming together with other members, how is this different than what I am to do on the other days of the week? Perhaps it has something to do with community...
Thanks for the comment, "Anonymous". ;)
After reading the book (which, by the way, I'm not taking as the end all be all of books on the Sabbath), it made me think of the Psalm where God tells us to "cease striving, and know that I am God".
Maybe the Sabbath is a day set aside in order to deliberately do that. We worship, we rest and rejoice - all because of the Lord, for the Lord and in the Lord. And doesn't worship, rest and rejoicing seem to take place most often in the context of the covenant community?
One thing that I always find restful on the Sabbath is dressing up in Vintage clothing.
Like you'll be doing in a week and a half.
When I have a chance, I'll have to work on that template html stuff and see what I can do. Hmmm . . .
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