Celebrating the Sabbath

30Aug
I am the lord your God. Walk in my statutes, and be careful to obey my rules, and keep the Sabbath holy that there may be a sign between me and you, that you may know that I am the Lord your God.
- Ezekiel 20:19-20
On the seventh day of Creation, God rested from his work of creating all things...
- Genesis 2:2

Our Faith and Fiction Group recently read the memoir of faith “Leaving Church” by Barbara Brown Taylor. In this book she writes about leaving a successful ministry at a small country church in North Georgia to become a college Theology Professor. At the end of her ministry, she was experiencing compassion fatigue from trying to fulfill all of the duties of a priest in a small country town.

One of the tenants of her theological training was to honor the Sabbath. As a priest with untold duties and responsibilities, she never had that opportunity. She had lost her humanity and true self in pursuing her vocation. Upon leaving behind her priestly duties, her focus was to enjoy the Sabbath. “On keeping the Sabbath, any activity such as Ought, Should or Must in my mind was disqualified.” She felt that the Sabbath was her regular date with the Divine Presence that enlivens both body and soul. “Stop for one full day every week and you will remember what it means to be created in the image of God, who rested on the seventh day not from weariness, but from complete freedom to admire his creation of the universe. The clear promise is that those who rest like God find themselves free like God, no longer slaves to a thousand compulsions that send others rushing towards their graves.” 

Celebrating the Sabbath freed up in her suppressed feelings of her past life. “If you decide to live on the fire that God has kindled inside of you, it does not take long for all sorts of feelings to come out of hiding. You can find yourself crying buckets of uncried tears over things you thought you had handled years ago. "

In the Orthodox Jewish Tradition honoring the Sabbath, (Shabbat) is all important. From sundown Friday until the appearance of three stars in the heavens on Saturday evening, no work is to be permitted . Festive meals with the family including wine and challah (braided bread) are consumed. A long list of prohibitions including operating electric appliances, turning on fluorescent or incandescent lighting  and engaging in unpleasant conversation are forbidden. One is advised not to talk about money, and business matters. It is a time to engage in pleasurable activities such as spending time with family and friends, eating, singing, praying and sleeping. Reformed Jews have veered away from the strict rules of the Orthodox Church, by making the Sabbath more of a spiritual journey in time.

Abraham Heschel, a Rabbi and Philosopher writes in his classic text, "The Sabbath", “There is a realm in time where the goal is not to have, but to be, not to own but to give, not to control but to share, not to subdue but be in accord. Life goes wrong when the control of space, the acquisition of things becomes our sole concern.” The Sabbath should be a day of beauty and grandeur, a crown of victory a day of rest and holiness…a rest in love and generosity, a rest that yields peace, serenity, tranquility and security, a perfect rest with which you are pleased.

In the coming weeks I hope to follow my own version of the Sabbath. It will be a recurring day or part of a day, where I will devote myself to contemplating and enjoying God’s creation, free from work and the distractions of technology. 

Musical Reflection - Never on a Sunday - Miss Piggy - The Muppets

Redeemer of Peace, help us to remember that rest is a wonderful gift to be enjoyed and savored each week. As we rest our bodies and our minds, let our spirits rest in You. Amen.
Old TestamentNature
Tags
#muppets #sabbath

Previous Page

Date
Category
Author
Latest Posts
May 23, 2025
May
Tags
#absalomjones, #abundance, #advent, #advent #preparation #waiting, #anger, #antiracist, #archive #crisis #strength, #archive #treasure #heaven, #art, #ashwednesday, #ashwednesday #preservation #labor, #awe #reverence #fear, #bannedbooks, #baptism #discernment #support #covenant, #bathroomfloor #damascus #women, #beatitudes #allsaints, #belonging #america, #beloved, #bible #authority #religious #thinplace, #bible #forgiveness #prodigalson, #blessing #loveyourneighbor, #breathe #silence #love, #brothers #jesus #father #faith, #burden #rest #peace, #camp #loss #death #humble #humility, #change, #change #renewal #growth, #children #education #faith #formation, #children #parenthood #graduation #bittersweet, #christmas #stnicholas, #commandments, #communication #words #voice, #community #welcome #unity, #confession #paul #imperfection #failings, #courage #parable, #creation, #creation #love #space, #crucifix #cross, #david #goliath, #death #allsaints #winter, #death #loss #grief #memory, #discernment #presence, #disciples #evangelism, #division, #divorce, #enemy, #enneagram #grace, #faith #jesus, #fear, #forever, #formation, #friendship, #good, #good #evil, #gratitude #mercy, #gratitude #sing #nature, #halloween, #halloween #allsouls, #healing #leper #miracles, #help, #help #thanks #wow, #history #love #women #justice #friendship, #humanity, #humility, #hymn, #inclusivity #diversity #allarewelcome, #individualism #wealth #camel #excess #humility, #injustice #racism #unconditionallove, #jesus #joy #suffering, #johnthebaptist, #joseph #jesus #prison #forgiveness #family, #journey #pilgrims #companions, #joy #example #light, #joy #faith #perserverance #psalm, #joy #fun #mission #medicalmission, #joy #trials #overcome #faith #endurance, #justinmartyr #civildiscourse #jesus, #keepcalm, #king #judgement #government, #kingdom, #kingdom #disciples, #kingdom #god #life #story, #light, #light #darkness #holyspirit, #light #gratitude #joy #awe #miracles, #listening, #love, #love #gratitude #peace, #love #imperfection #mother #flowers, #love #light #loveyourneighbor, #loveyourneighbor, #lyric #music #harmony #emotions #paul, #mardigras, #martinluther, #mary #joseph #jesus, #mary #martha #jesus, #marymagdalene #resurrection, #matthew #jesus #compassion #labor #suffering, #medicalmission #joy #prayer #healing, #medicalmission #youth #joy #laughter #connection, #memorialday #sacrifice #gratitude, #methodist #episcopal #eucharist, #ministry #work #labor, #miracle #friendship, #mission #medicalmission #healing #pentecost, #mission #medicalmission #serve #perserverance #loveyourneighbor, #missionstatement #inspired #strives #loveyourneighbor #dojustice #walkhumbly #archives, #money #fishing, #muppets #sabbath, #nativeamerican #land #blackfriday, #nature #retreat #moses, #neighbor #love #selflove #greatestcommandment, #painter #sailing, #parent #father #wisdom #family, #paul, #paul #jesus #authenticity #genuine, #paul #voice, #payphone #love, #peace #worry #martha #mary #vietnam #college, #perseverance, #peter #jesus #light #dark, #poetry #thanksgiving, #prayer, #prayer #grief #loss #pets, #prayer #peace, #prepare #crisis #faith #storm #jesus #archives, #psalms #mother #grandmother #gratitude, #psalms #rejoice #blessing, #quiet #retreat, #rage #unfairness #forgiveness #prayer, #rebirth #redemption #reconciliation #psalm #valley, #refuge, #remember #open #cryout #keep, #remembrance #september11, #rest, #retirement, #reward #loss #service #alcoholicsanonymous, #rock #support #foundation, #roshhashanah #judaism, #salvation #trust, #school #love #parents, #seeingjesus #hearinggod #vessel #handsandfeet, #selfrighteous #reconciliation, #serenityprayer #mary #martha, #serve #churchfamily, #solomon #failure, #standrew, #stars, #storms #peace #stainedglass, #story, #taize #prayer #listen, #teep #david #goliath #tlf, #tencommandments #sundayschool, #time #value #patience, #time #value #space, #todo #christmas, #tolerance, #transfiguration #mountaintop, #trees, #truth, #turntheothercheek, #waiting, #walkinlove, #weather #hurricane, #weddings #love #corinthians #patience, #williamtemple #singing, #witness #patience #presence #waiting, #women #mothers, #worry #trust, #worship #manygods #onegod, #wrangling #language, 12 steps, conviction, death, depression, doubt, easter, enemies, envy, eternal, eucharist, faith, female, grace, grief, holy spirit, hope, hypocrisy, jesus, judgement, love, make a difference, martyrs, medical mission, meditation, mental health, mission, mother, path, paul, pause, peace, peter, plan, power, powerless, presence, psalms, radiant, refuge, service, wisdom, youth

Stay Connected

Sign up to receive news and announcements from Trinity Church.

Sign Up