It has taken me all week to reflect on Hebrews 4 posted by Karen last Sunday. I read the passage before I went to work last Monday morning and sat and prayed that God would speak to me through these words. I came back to it on Wednesday, re-read the passage and was still feeling bogged down by it. I think what challenged me so much was that I had a sense of guilt come over me, that I was being unfaithful or unbelieving by not taking rest. I know that it may sound kind of twisted to put it that way but actually it does make some sense.
It took so much effort for me to get this scripture because I haven't been taking weekly sabbath time. Even though I know that I should be and so reading that those who don't believe will not find rest in God, challenged me. I need to take time for my faith, remember that I am one of God's children, praise God daily, follow the teachings of Jesus and take time for sabbath rest regularly.
Later in this passage, it says that "no creature is hidden". When I forget my connection with God, God is still there with me. When I don't go to church and forget to pray, God is still there with me. When I get frustrated over work or life stuff and get completely stressed out and don't pray, God is still there with me. And when I get run down, tired, and depressed, God is still there with me. If I prepare to just be with God, to not be distracted by work, to worship and praise, to ask and hear in prayer, and take sabbath rest, I will more likely remember that God is still there with me and I won't be hiding (either intentionally or unintentionally) from God.
In relation for the goal "to strengthen and develop local youth and young adult ministry through a network of spiritually healthy, education and ethical leaders", I wonder how our leaders can be encouraged to be faithful and take time for sabbath, not only because they are supposed to, but because it can strengthen their relationship with God and further their faith journey. When I was working in a congregation, there were so many Sundays when I just didn't really feel like going to church. Now that it's up to me to decide if I feel like going, when I do go, I am able to be fully present and worship, without worrying about my lesson plan, children's time or the reflection.
Alison
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Saturday, September 27, 2008
The Invitation Still Stands
The invitation still stands. God is again inviting us into rest, to enjoy the gift of Sabbath. The summer held many moments of Sabbath time for me personally, and for a while I was even able to find a rhythm to my life which included feasting with friends, sitting and basking in the sun in the early evening. I found a creative space this summer for coming up with new topics of discussion for the youth, and new possible gatherings for the congregation. I spent more time on the golf course then I ever have, but after reading this scripture I realize that I had missed one important thing – Rest!
Rest isn’t simply about sitting still for me, or for that matter sleeping or napping. When I think of Sabbath rest I think of spending time in intentional reflection with God. Taking time each week to read scripture and then journal and talk with others about it has deepened my connection with God, and that is what I was missing this summer. My spirit had become restless, and longed for a sense of peace and grounding, that I had found last fall. My heart longed to be opened. The Sabbath ritual had been a place where I allowed myself to feel, to release my spirit and to hear God’s voice in everyone around me.
I was disappointed this summer when week after week there was no scripture posted, but I did find other ways to share Sabbath with others. At the beginning of June, the Youth Forum Design Team for General Council 40 met for the first time. Rick, Adam and I felt that it would be very important to share the principles of Sabbath with the group, those being feasting, resting, ceasing, and embracing. The first night we split our team up into small groups and had each group prepare a different part of our evening meal. With each course part of our group would serve the food, another group would pray and then we would spend time in conversation learning about our passions, our dreams, our faith and our lives. Taking over 3 hours to eat together proved to be a blessing beyond anything we imagined. I marvelled at the depth of sharing we had reached in such a short time, I smiled as each member of our team seemed to find a place in which to share their gifts. And throughout the weekend we found time to play together, to delight in our surroundings, and to sing in a monestry together. At the end of our meeting people commented that they were leaving a meeting feeling full and not empty for the first time. The amazing thing is that we got all of our work done and more.
In my own congregation, I shared the principles of Sabbath with the staff and from that we have recreated the opening of our worship and have decided to spend the year exploring the question, “Is it well with my soul?” Each week we ask the congregation to reflect on this question, and we have been focussing on the four principles of Sabbath in hopes that people will find ways to implement them in their lives. We have thought about what we need to cease being about this year, we have looked for places in our ministry where we could make room for God’s spirit to work. What I have witnessed over the past several weeks is a congregation who is beginning to shed some of their expectations of themselves and others, and who are finding more ways to hear God’s call to mission.
For me the most important part from the Hebrew’s scripture was verse 1, “therefore, while the promise of entering his rest is still open, let us take care that none of you should seem to have failed to reach it.” I think God is calling me to keep practicing my ritual and keep finding ways for others to enter this rest, for in doing so my spirit feels free, energized and at home – I enter God’s rest. I am ever grateful for the second invitation into this rest, I hope you are too.
I want to thank Rick Gunn for his reflection as well. It’s wonderful to hear how the scripture touches each person. It reminds me of the richness that community can bring.
Blessings my friends,
Karen
Rest isn’t simply about sitting still for me, or for that matter sleeping or napping. When I think of Sabbath rest I think of spending time in intentional reflection with God. Taking time each week to read scripture and then journal and talk with others about it has deepened my connection with God, and that is what I was missing this summer. My spirit had become restless, and longed for a sense of peace and grounding, that I had found last fall. My heart longed to be opened. The Sabbath ritual had been a place where I allowed myself to feel, to release my spirit and to hear God’s voice in everyone around me.
I was disappointed this summer when week after week there was no scripture posted, but I did find other ways to share Sabbath with others. At the beginning of June, the Youth Forum Design Team for General Council 40 met for the first time. Rick, Adam and I felt that it would be very important to share the principles of Sabbath with the group, those being feasting, resting, ceasing, and embracing. The first night we split our team up into small groups and had each group prepare a different part of our evening meal. With each course part of our group would serve the food, another group would pray and then we would spend time in conversation learning about our passions, our dreams, our faith and our lives. Taking over 3 hours to eat together proved to be a blessing beyond anything we imagined. I marvelled at the depth of sharing we had reached in such a short time, I smiled as each member of our team seemed to find a place in which to share their gifts. And throughout the weekend we found time to play together, to delight in our surroundings, and to sing in a monestry together. At the end of our meeting people commented that they were leaving a meeting feeling full and not empty for the first time. The amazing thing is that we got all of our work done and more.
In my own congregation, I shared the principles of Sabbath with the staff and from that we have recreated the opening of our worship and have decided to spend the year exploring the question, “Is it well with my soul?” Each week we ask the congregation to reflect on this question, and we have been focussing on the four principles of Sabbath in hopes that people will find ways to implement them in their lives. We have thought about what we need to cease being about this year, we have looked for places in our ministry where we could make room for God’s spirit to work. What I have witnessed over the past several weeks is a congregation who is beginning to shed some of their expectations of themselves and others, and who are finding more ways to hear God’s call to mission.
For me the most important part from the Hebrew’s scripture was verse 1, “therefore, while the promise of entering his rest is still open, let us take care that none of you should seem to have failed to reach it.” I think God is calling me to keep practicing my ritual and keep finding ways for others to enter this rest, for in doing so my spirit feels free, energized and at home – I enter God’s rest. I am ever grateful for the second invitation into this rest, I hope you are too.
I want to thank Rick Gunn for his reflection as well. It’s wonderful to hear how the scripture touches each person. It reminds me of the richness that community can bring.
Blessings my friends,
Karen
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
"Today, if you hear God's voice..."
Hi, Sabbath team and friends thereof,
Wow, Karen! That passage from Hebrews is dense! Or at least I find it so. I pondered your question about the connection between the passage and the National goal (see Sept 21 posting). But I couldn't stop going back to phrases in the passage that spoke to me rather than the goal.
There is a lot of Good News in the reading and there is a call to account. The writer invites me to notice if I have hardened my heart to God's rest. Even the phrase "Today, if you hear God's voice..." strikes me with its "if". IF!? It is so true that there are days when I search for God's voice and I hear nothing. Not that God's voice isn't there but rather I feel unable to hear it.
God's rest "remains open for some to enter it". Will I be part of the "some"? How can I prepare to be part of the "some"?
As I reflect back on what has been our Year of Sabbath I feel that my Sabbath practice and ponderings has helped me to prepare to be open to some wonderful things. In the last few months I began to feel a deep centeredness, a focus on my own creativity, a clarity about what really matters in my ministry and my personal life and a slowly developing ability to be truly present in many moments. (I wish I could say every moment but I can't.)
When I began to realize that I was generally feeling energized and Spirit-led for an extended period I began to wonder why. I believe the Year of Sabbath has been a huge part of this present space.
Sabbath has not been easy. I didn't anticipate that I might reap the benefits of the practice in the ways that I am. But that might be the point: don't anticipate what the Spirit might be moved to do when I create the space for God to move at all.
What I know quite clearly is that the most powerful Sabbath relationship for me has been my monthly "session" with my mentor. As I write the word "mentor" it feels funny. It has been a long time since Keith and I have used the language of mentoring. Instead we are definitely sharing and accompanying.
I expected that my relationships and sharings with the Sabbath team would be most powerful but honestly it has not been but for the obvious fact that we cannot gather face to face with some frequency. The blog and emails help but that has not felt like authentic community to me. I sincerely cherish the two times we have been together and have gleaned MUCH insight into Sabbath from those times (and I am grateful for the grounds on which friendship and collegial networking have been laid).
The last line of the Hebrews passage challenges and inspires me:
"Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."
Living faithfully takes BIG boldness! I will continue to be open to the Year of Sabbath and what might unfold from it for me, for my congregation and for my church as a whole. (A good place to start is finding out when I am supposed to choose a focus scripture and blog and DO IT! I took a Sabbath from Sabbath in the summer.)
One powerful lesson I have learned is that God is at work (and rest) whether I am open to God or not.
I leave you with one of my new favourite pieces of literature. A poem by Rene Rilke.
Be well.
Rick Gunn
Because once someone dared
to want you,
I know that we, too, may want you.
When gold is in the mountain
and we've ravaged the depths
till we've given up digging,
it will be brought forth into day
by the river that mines
the silences of stone.
Even when we don't desire it,
God is ripening.
Wow, Karen! That passage from Hebrews is dense! Or at least I find it so. I pondered your question about the connection between the passage and the National goal (see Sept 21 posting). But I couldn't stop going back to phrases in the passage that spoke to me rather than the goal.
There is a lot of Good News in the reading and there is a call to account. The writer invites me to notice if I have hardened my heart to God's rest. Even the phrase "Today, if you hear God's voice..." strikes me with its "if". IF!? It is so true that there are days when I search for God's voice and I hear nothing. Not that God's voice isn't there but rather I feel unable to hear it.
God's rest "remains open for some to enter it". Will I be part of the "some"? How can I prepare to be part of the "some"?
As I reflect back on what has been our Year of Sabbath I feel that my Sabbath practice and ponderings has helped me to prepare to be open to some wonderful things. In the last few months I began to feel a deep centeredness, a focus on my own creativity, a clarity about what really matters in my ministry and my personal life and a slowly developing ability to be truly present in many moments. (I wish I could say every moment but I can't.)
When I began to realize that I was generally feeling energized and Spirit-led for an extended period I began to wonder why. I believe the Year of Sabbath has been a huge part of this present space.
Sabbath has not been easy. I didn't anticipate that I might reap the benefits of the practice in the ways that I am. But that might be the point: don't anticipate what the Spirit might be moved to do when I create the space for God to move at all.
What I know quite clearly is that the most powerful Sabbath relationship for me has been my monthly "session" with my mentor. As I write the word "mentor" it feels funny. It has been a long time since Keith and I have used the language of mentoring. Instead we are definitely sharing and accompanying.
I expected that my relationships and sharings with the Sabbath team would be most powerful but honestly it has not been but for the obvious fact that we cannot gather face to face with some frequency. The blog and emails help but that has not felt like authentic community to me. I sincerely cherish the two times we have been together and have gleaned MUCH insight into Sabbath from those times (and I am grateful for the grounds on which friendship and collegial networking have been laid).
The last line of the Hebrews passage challenges and inspires me:
"Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."
Living faithfully takes BIG boldness! I will continue to be open to the Year of Sabbath and what might unfold from it for me, for my congregation and for my church as a whole. (A good place to start is finding out when I am supposed to choose a focus scripture and blog and DO IT! I took a Sabbath from Sabbath in the summer.)
One powerful lesson I have learned is that God is at work (and rest) whether I am open to God or not.
I leave you with one of my new favourite pieces of literature. A poem by Rene Rilke.
Be well.
Rick Gunn
Because once someone dared
to want you,
I know that we, too, may want you.
When gold is in the mountain
and we've ravaged the depths
till we've given up digging,
it will be brought forth into day
by the river that mines
the silences of stone.
Even when we don't desire it,
God is ripening.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
God's Promise
I invite you all to reflect on Hebrews 4. I believe that this scripture connects to the National goal of "to strengthen and develop local youth and young adult ministry through a network of spiritually healthy, education and ethical leaders. How do you think this goal connects to the scripture?
"Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest is still open, let us take care that none of you should seem to have failed to reach it. For indeed the good news came to us just as to them; but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened. For we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said, "As in my anger I swore, they shall not enter my rest," though his works were finished at the foundation of the world. For in one place it speaks about the seventh day as follows, "And God rested on the seventh day from all his works." And again in this place it says, "They shall not enter my rest." Since therefore it remains open for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience, again he sets a certain day -- "today" -- saying through David much later, in the words already quoted, "Today, if you hear his voice do not harden your hearts." For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not speak later about another day. So then, a sabbath rest still remains for the people of God; for those who enter God's rest also cease from their labors as God did from his. Let us therefore make every effort to enter that rest so that no one may fall through such disobedience as theirs.
Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And before him no creature is hidden, but all are naked and laid bare to the eyes of the one to whom we must render an account.
Since, then, we have a great hight priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a hight priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Blessings in your sabbath reflection -- Karen
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