Thank you, Lord, for the gift of Sabbath. Yesterday was a wonderful day, spending time with Gideon (even though he was sick), spending time with my wife, watching the Selection show, and simply resting. It felt great to take a break from all stress related things and just enjoy my family.
Sometimes, Lord, I forget what a good God You are. What I mean by that is that sometimes I forget that while You spend much of Your time working for the good, it doesn't always feel like "working." So often, in the Bible and in my life, You have gifted me pleasurable and leisurely experiences. Like Sabbath.
It seems that when things are properly balanced in my life, I enjoy most of the things in my life. When tennis workouts don't last into the evenings, I enjoy them. When I can contain my schoolwork to school, I enjoy it. When my church responsibilities don't impinge on my family time, I enjoy them. When I keep things in their proper place, I find that I actually enjoy them.
Which, I guess, is what Sabbath is really about. It's trusting You enough to say that if I take a day and enjoy my family and friends and food, then the other things will still be able to be taken care of... just in their time and in their place. It's saying that the grades I don't have done will get done, just not today. It's trusting that I will have enough time to tackle my other responsibilities if I keep them in the other six days. And, I guess, I trust that.
And I thank You for being a God of enjoyment! Continue to help me balance life, and therefore enjoy it all the more!
Showing posts with label rest. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rest. Show all posts
Monday, March 15, 2010
Monday, November 10, 2008
Life is pretty good. I make it complicated with either sinful actions (lying, lusting, overeating) or by not fulfilling my responsibilities in a timely matter (taking classes for re-certification, not grading papers on time, etc.) I get so tired of all the responsibilities that I have to fulfill, but maybe if I would just complete them immediately, things wouldn't feel so tiring.
Anyways, I didn't want to talk to You today about complaints. I could nitpick my life for hours probably. In fact, even though that wasn't my intent, its what I'm leaning toward now that I'm typing and talking. But I want to steer clear of that, just know that I could use Your help.
Instead, I want to thank You. Sabbath is incredibly wholesome. Last week, while my wife was gone, I busied myself all throughout the weekend and then went to four different gatherings on Sunday. Didn't end up feeling like a Sabbath at all as I went from party to party with no rest. Then this weekend, we had the church gathering and then were home by 12:40. The rest of the day was beautiful. I played with my son, I held him while he took a nap, I cuddled with my wife, we watched some football (although I couldn't keep the wife from constantly changing the channel!), we made some breakfast for dinner, talked to my sister on the phone, went to bed early and Gideon basically slept through the night. It was good!
It days like that, I begin to realize what peace is. And I also guess I see that perhaps I need to simplify. If I want my regular life to be more like my Sabbath, with a balance of work and rest, then I probably do need to have less responsibility. I don't know how that will work though, but I'm trusting You. In the meantime, I'll just keep trying to fulfill all my obligations, and will continue looking forward to the times of Sabbath I can find, stopping and enjoying the beautiful family that You've provided for me.
Thank You Lord.
Anyways, I didn't want to talk to You today about complaints. I could nitpick my life for hours probably. In fact, even though that wasn't my intent, its what I'm leaning toward now that I'm typing and talking. But I want to steer clear of that, just know that I could use Your help.
Instead, I want to thank You. Sabbath is incredibly wholesome. Last week, while my wife was gone, I busied myself all throughout the weekend and then went to four different gatherings on Sunday. Didn't end up feeling like a Sabbath at all as I went from party to party with no rest. Then this weekend, we had the church gathering and then were home by 12:40. The rest of the day was beautiful. I played with my son, I held him while he took a nap, I cuddled with my wife, we watched some football (although I couldn't keep the wife from constantly changing the channel!), we made some breakfast for dinner, talked to my sister on the phone, went to bed early and Gideon basically slept through the night. It was good!
It days like that, I begin to realize what peace is. And I also guess I see that perhaps I need to simplify. If I want my regular life to be more like my Sabbath, with a balance of work and rest, then I probably do need to have less responsibility. I don't know how that will work though, but I'm trusting You. In the meantime, I'll just keep trying to fulfill all my obligations, and will continue looking forward to the times of Sabbath I can find, stopping and enjoying the beautiful family that You've provided for me.
Thank You Lord.
Monday, April 23, 2007
Replacing Worry
Texts:
- Psalms 125-128
- Matthew 11
"Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat - for he grants sleep to those he loves."
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."
Lord, I could always use rest. But that's been established many times before as I have written You. What is interesting to me in these verses, that just kind of jumped off the page to me, is that its not just rest from stress of life. Its rest from even the good things that we are building.
Is it not good for someone to build a house, or stand watch over a city? Of course it is, these things are very necessary for safety and for normal living. They are good. But there's the interesting added words to these good things, "unless the LORD."
I think these images of watchmen and builder are perfect for where I am right now. I often feel like I am a watchmen for this new community that we are beginning. I feel like I am protecting it, trying to keep it safe, trying to keep anything bad from happening. Truth is, most of the bad things that could happen in the community are far beyond my control. So the result for me is worry, then becoming weary and burdened.
Or the builder, trying to pursue avenues of growth. How can we find the support and money that we need to get where we want to go. How do you go about finalizing the building codes (or the details needed to be a recognized church)? Where will we get the materials? Who will help?
These questions, these worries, beyond my control. Like most of this life, beyond my control.
"Unless the LORD..." So how do we know if You are? Are You building the house with us, are You watching over the city? If You are, then what? Because we still have to help build, right? We still have to stand watch, right?
It all comes down to worry. It's strange, until we started thinking and really building this community, I wasn't much of a worrier or someone who panicked. I have felt that way at different times in this process, even now as I type. Worry has somehow become a part of my life. I don't like it, it doesn't feel like me.
I want to be the optimistic, "It will all work out," faithful person that I've been in the past. When people tell me that You are going to bless what we're doing, I want to be able to say thanks to them and really believe it in my heart. Basically, I want You to continue to take control away from us.
Saturday I talked about how we walk on the road towards You. Right now, and often lately, I have been walking with worry. Empty my road of worry, replace it with a comfort and restful sense of Your control. Amen.
- Psalms 125-128
- Matthew 11
"Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat - for he grants sleep to those he loves."
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."
Lord, I could always use rest. But that's been established many times before as I have written You. What is interesting to me in these verses, that just kind of jumped off the page to me, is that its not just rest from stress of life. Its rest from even the good things that we are building.
Is it not good for someone to build a house, or stand watch over a city? Of course it is, these things are very necessary for safety and for normal living. They are good. But there's the interesting added words to these good things, "unless the LORD."
I think these images of watchmen and builder are perfect for where I am right now. I often feel like I am a watchmen for this new community that we are beginning. I feel like I am protecting it, trying to keep it safe, trying to keep anything bad from happening. Truth is, most of the bad things that could happen in the community are far beyond my control. So the result for me is worry, then becoming weary and burdened.
Or the builder, trying to pursue avenues of growth. How can we find the support and money that we need to get where we want to go. How do you go about finalizing the building codes (or the details needed to be a recognized church)? Where will we get the materials? Who will help?
These questions, these worries, beyond my control. Like most of this life, beyond my control.
"Unless the LORD..." So how do we know if You are? Are You building the house with us, are You watching over the city? If You are, then what? Because we still have to help build, right? We still have to stand watch, right?
It all comes down to worry. It's strange, until we started thinking and really building this community, I wasn't much of a worrier or someone who panicked. I have felt that way at different times in this process, even now as I type. Worry has somehow become a part of my life. I don't like it, it doesn't feel like me.
I want to be the optimistic, "It will all work out," faithful person that I've been in the past. When people tell me that You are going to bless what we're doing, I want to be able to say thanks to them and really believe it in my heart. Basically, I want You to continue to take control away from us.
Saturday I talked about how we walk on the road towards You. Right now, and often lately, I have been walking with worry. Empty my road of worry, replace it with a comfort and restful sense of Your control. Amen.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Escape
Wow, I'm headed into the last week of this fast now. And I must admit, these last several days have been the most difficult. I'm sure it's only going to get worse. Lord, with March Madness coming up (started) I'm afraid of how much time I'm going to be able to spend with You. I know that I could force myself to take a break from the games and pray and read and be with You. The problem is, my thoughts won't really be with You. Help me to find some time to be with You.
And the tiredness, that's something I never really considered when I entered into this fast. If I don't get the sleep I need it's really hard to have any type of energy. I'm like a walking zombie. And right now I am lacking the sleep that I need. It's making it hard to concentrate on anything for an extended period of time. Whether it be school, or my wife talking about her day, my friends talking about their concerns; my mind is just tired. I feel like I need an escape from all of this.
Here's the deal: You've already shown me what that escape can be, the love and silence and time spent in Your presence. That's been what so much of this fast has been about. How do I gain self-control? By spending more of my time under Your control. How do I escape life's trials? By retreating to the warmth of Your presence.
But when I'm in Your presence, I always feel like I need to come away with some new truth. When I am refreshed and well-rested, that is invigorating and life-giving. But when I am physically tired and drained, it's like writing an essay for your required college English class at 3:00 in the morning. But in relationships, do you always have to "get" something from each and every conversation? Don't I have wonderful nights of rest with Courtney where I simply lay in bed with her, arm around her waist, and sleep? If I take our relationship seriously as a relationship, can I call Your presence to simply be with me as I refresh my body?
I hope so... I believe so. I need rest now and I need to be with You. There doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day to do them both apart, so come down and be with me as I put them both together.
And the tiredness, that's something I never really considered when I entered into this fast. If I don't get the sleep I need it's really hard to have any type of energy. I'm like a walking zombie. And right now I am lacking the sleep that I need. It's making it hard to concentrate on anything for an extended period of time. Whether it be school, or my wife talking about her day, my friends talking about their concerns; my mind is just tired. I feel like I need an escape from all of this.
Here's the deal: You've already shown me what that escape can be, the love and silence and time spent in Your presence. That's been what so much of this fast has been about. How do I gain self-control? By spending more of my time under Your control. How do I escape life's trials? By retreating to the warmth of Your presence.
But when I'm in Your presence, I always feel like I need to come away with some new truth. When I am refreshed and well-rested, that is invigorating and life-giving. But when I am physically tired and drained, it's like writing an essay for your required college English class at 3:00 in the morning. But in relationships, do you always have to "get" something from each and every conversation? Don't I have wonderful nights of rest with Courtney where I simply lay in bed with her, arm around her waist, and sleep? If I take our relationship seriously as a relationship, can I call Your presence to simply be with me as I refresh my body?
I hope so... I believe so. I need rest now and I need to be with You. There doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day to do them both apart, so come down and be with me as I put them both together.
Friday, March 9, 2007
Give Me My Breath Back
I kind of feel like a zombie for the past two days. My loss of motivation is gone, but in its place is really nothing. I constantly feel like the wind has been knocked out of me and not very much is helping get my breath back.
Lord, these are the down times when I cry out to You. Remember our relationship, remember how You've called me, and lead me back there. Give me a bit of my normal excitement for life, a bit of the optimism that has been what normal attitude, my love for those around me, my humor, my creativity, give them all back to me. I feel like I've been drained of many of Your good gifts with one punch.
Although, maybe there's reason for it too. Maybe I'm to suffer like Job...the hard thing is that I don't even know what's going on and why. I just want to breathe again with ease and peace. It's not that much different than what I said yesterday Lord. My body feels like it is trying to close up shop and just take a nap for a day or so, but my spirit wants to be alive and get even less sleep because of the exciting things that I have the opportunity to be involved with. Bless my spirit, energize my flesh.
My hope is in You.
Lord, these are the down times when I cry out to You. Remember our relationship, remember how You've called me, and lead me back there. Give me a bit of my normal excitement for life, a bit of the optimism that has been what normal attitude, my love for those around me, my humor, my creativity, give them all back to me. I feel like I've been drained of many of Your good gifts with one punch.
Although, maybe there's reason for it too. Maybe I'm to suffer like Job...the hard thing is that I don't even know what's going on and why. I just want to breathe again with ease and peace. It's not that much different than what I said yesterday Lord. My body feels like it is trying to close up shop and just take a nap for a day or so, but my spirit wants to be alive and get even less sleep because of the exciting things that I have the opportunity to be involved with. Bless my spirit, energize my flesh.
My hope is in You.
Thursday, March 1, 2007
Put Your Feet on the Floor
Lord, You've responded like You always do to my request of a reply. You've given me one straight away, and honestly, it's something old and something new. You are genuinely the greatest teacher ever, and I love to see You fulfill Your Scripture and Your words right in front of me. Over the last 24 hours, I feel like You've been instructing just exactly like Matthew 13:52 says, "Therefore every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old." Your instruction has been bring out old understandings and freshening them up with bold, new words and several new ideas.
The best thing was listening to Sister Victoria on a Mars Hill sermon yesterday as she spoke about "Resting in God's Presence." It was a sermon from a year ago, in Mars' Lent series. I listened to most of the rest of those last year, but had never heard this one. Now I know why... You were saving it for me to hear now.
Sister would talk about the Word and then invite everyone to calm down, "put your feet on the floor," and then rest in God. The last part struck me so hard. It was about simply holding things before You as we forge right through the problems. I am guilty of trying to find ways, levers, answers that get me around life's problems. I realized now that You want me to hold those problems in You, as we wade right through the middle of them.
I also was instructed yesterday about salvation. It's not only about me and heaven, or escaping hell. It's about every part of me. Some parts of me are alive and living in Your kingdom, other parts still need to be saved. My mind, my purity, my time, and more are still in need of Your salvation.
So that's what I come before You right now to do. To put my feet flat on the floor, to acknowledge Your love, to hold myself and others worries before You, and to ask for Your salvation come to all our stuff. Rest with us God. Amen.
The best thing was listening to Sister Victoria on a Mars Hill sermon yesterday as she spoke about "Resting in God's Presence." It was a sermon from a year ago, in Mars' Lent series. I listened to most of the rest of those last year, but had never heard this one. Now I know why... You were saving it for me to hear now.
Sister would talk about the Word and then invite everyone to calm down, "put your feet on the floor," and then rest in God. The last part struck me so hard. It was about simply holding things before You as we forge right through the problems. I am guilty of trying to find ways, levers, answers that get me around life's problems. I realized now that You want me to hold those problems in You, as we wade right through the middle of them.
I also was instructed yesterday about salvation. It's not only about me and heaven, or escaping hell. It's about every part of me. Some parts of me are alive and living in Your kingdom, other parts still need to be saved. My mind, my purity, my time, and more are still in need of Your salvation.
So that's what I come before You right now to do. To put my feet flat on the floor, to acknowledge Your love, to hold myself and others worries before You, and to ask for Your salvation come to all our stuff. Rest with us God. Amen.
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