Recently I (and other leaders) led our church community towards taking a Sabbath rest for 4 weeks starting today. It's almost 2 years since our church has been meeting publically and close to 31/2 years since 4 of us met for the 1st time in my home back in 2003.
It's been a strong push since both those starts. Our slowly growing group has worked tirelessly to build The Westside Gathering in becoming a church that would connect people to Christ and each other. But a time comes when you need a break.
I did some study of the Sabbath in the OT and discovered a healthy rhtyhm, 1st in the text of Gen. 1-2 ("and it was evening and it was morning... the... day") where the day begins with rest at night and work comes in day light out of your rest; 2nd the Sabbath was initially a time to cease activity - the Hebrew word simply means to stop, take a break; 3rd, the spiritual and emotional significnace is later seen through the 6th commandment in Exodus and Deut where Israel's observance of the Sabbath would remind them of God's creative/sustaining force (Ex. 20:8), but also that they were never meant to be machines like their ancestors were for 400 years in Egypt (Deut. 5:12).
To cut to the chase, we're on a Sabbath Rest this month. No serving activities, no extra small groups, no leadership meetings until later in the month, no large group gatherings. We've slimmed downed to CHURCH@HOME - people meeting in various locations with no responsibilities for set-up, creative/tech, kids, or hospitality. I'm not even fully responsible for a group, though I'm guiding the content of each. Our leaders also agreed I should take some needed time for spiritual retreat (I'll share my initial experience in a later post) and focus on what's coming next for Westside. I really appreciate this and love them for it, they are an amazing community.
To my digression, I admit it was very hard to not plan something, meet someone, or feel like you got to get more on the go. I (or should I say my wife) had to kick me to make sure I use this time for what it's set out to be or it will be gone before I say "sabbath".
I was nervous last night, wondering how this morning would go in various homes and cafe. So far, I heard from one group leader and one participant of 2 separate groups and the news has been really good.
I'm praying God will teach all of us, especially me, that the world doesn't revolve around us. God has something to do with it!
Read this Eugene Peterson definition of Sabbath that has become helpful for our community this month and reflect on it for your own life.
Sabbath is "uncluttered time and space to distance ourselves from the frenzy of our own activities so we can see what God has been doing and is doing."
Gaining that perceptive alone is healing and hopeful!!
2 comments:
I think what you guys are doing is excellent. We often need to trim down what we do to get at it's heart. I know that you'll reap benefits afterward...even if they are simply a well rested and strengthened community ready to do God's will.
hearing more reports from our groups I think so far this is a really good thing for the next month.
also, interesting thing: a guest went by our meeting place, read the sign explaining we weren't there, and then went to the group meeting in the starbucks near by.
things do not rely around us... God does have something to do with it.
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