Resting means confronting the itchiness of wanting to keep our bodies (and minds) moving. Worship means finding a place in which we can really concentrate on devotion—and it’s amazing how much we (myself included) are unwilling to sacrifice an hour to spend in God’s house. Community means stepping out of comfort zones to risk rejection and navigate complex relationship dynamics to spend quality time together—whether it’s over dinner or in service to a greater good.
I’m a big fan of “sabbath moments,” which are sacred glimpses in regular time—like a rainbow on a Thursday afternoon or a conversation with a close friend. Sabbath moments were a good place to start. Once I felt ready to stretch those moments into an hour, an afternoon, or a day, I did. I put my phone away. I napped. I attended worship. I walked slowly in nature. I read. I meditated. I prayed. Most of all, I practiced humility: I am not the Creator; this world will not fall apart without me.
This message is excerpted from “Slowing down for sabbath’s sake” by J. Dana Trent from the July 2019 Cafe online magazine. Today we commemorate Nathan Söderblom, Bishop of Uppsala, 1931.
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