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Women's
Website Study |
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Sabbath Establishing Rhythms of Work and
Rest Scripture “But
the Sabbath was made to benefit man, and not man to benefit the Sabbath. -Mark “I know what it is like to
rest for hours until I have energy to delight in something – good food, a
good book, a leisurely walk, a long-awaited conversation with someone I
love. I know what it’s like to
feel joy and hope and peace flow back into my body and soul though I had
thought it might never come again. I
know what it’s like to see my home and my children through the Sabbath
eyes of enjoyment. I know what
it’s like to have rest turn into delight, and delight turn into gratitude,
and gratitude into worship. I
know what it is like to recover myself so completely that I am able, by
God’s grace, to enter into my work on Monday with a renewed sense of
God’s calling and God’s Presence.” Few of us are courageous enough to live in this beautiful way. We would have to live the rest of the week in such a way to make it possible: Paid work needs to be contained to five days of the week; Household chores, shopping, and errands need to be complete or wait; Courageous decisions need to be made about work, athletics, church, and community involvement. The Purpose of Sabbath is to honor the body’s need for rest, the spirit’s need for replenishment and the soul’s need to delight itself in God for God’s own sake. Our unwillingness to practice Sabbath is to think that we are indispensable and the world cannot go on without us even for a day & that certain tasks and activities are more significant than the delights that God is wanting to share with us. -Wayne Mueller Going Deeper Decide to try
one Sabbath: look at your calendar for one day of the week that is realistic
for you and your family. What to exclude:
work, buying/selling, worry What to include:
resting the body, replenishing the spirit, restoring the soul Consider what
preparations/planning are necessary to making sure that you set aside all
types of work and worry on this day (or ½ day). What activities
will you refuse to engage in so that it is truly a day of rest, worship, and
delight? What activities
bring you delight, and how will you incorporate them? Put the date on
your calendar, and pray that God will help you. Then just see
where it starts to lead you Prayer Lord,
I’m
so tired!
Please teach me to rest in Your arms.
Help me to gain Your perspective on my life.
I know that You didn’t call me to a crazy, filled-up life that is
out of control.
Show me how to break free from the bondage of busyness and enter into
a life of rest and divine purpose.
Amen |