Sabbath Time

"Honor the Sabbath and keep it holy." Exodus 20. 8

Once a week, our Discipleship Group meets to check in with each other and renew the vows we believe enable us and encourage us to become better followers of Christ, "which happens naturally when we love him." We state at the beginning of our time together that " we become better followers of Jesus by holding each other in his love and by encouraging each other to practice the disciplines he teaches."

We vow to practice the disciplines of study, prayer, service and giving, as well as taking care of our bodies ("for they are the temples of the Holy Spirit") and honoring Sabbath time in our daily lives, "

With help from Wayne Mueller's book Sabbath: Finding Rest, Renewal and Delight in Our Busy Lives, I discovered the need for a refuge for our souls not only for a whole day a week, but for even an hour a day...a Sabbath afternoon, hour, walk. That time of sacred rest has refreshed me and restored my inner happiness at times when the busyness of life was overwhelming.

I have also discovered that there are times in our lives when Sabbatical, an extended rest from work, is necessary for revival of our souls. The word comes from the Hebrew shmita which is the seventh year of the seven-year agricultural cycle mandated by the Torah. Thus the 7th day is the Sabbath and Sabbaticals are often for 7 days, weeks, months or even years! They are a full on pause from the busyness and stress of life and our world, as if stepping off the stage and going back to the dressing room to refresh for as long as it takes to "regain our birthright of inner happiness" as Mueller says.

I am in the 4th week of a self imposed sabbatical, and the benefits have been profound. I have regained my footing, my perspective, confidence and peace. I highly recommend this holy practice whether for 7 hours, days or weeks. Having read Mueller's book once, I am now prepared to reread it and share it with my Discipleship Group in hopes that we can hold each other accountable to the vow we repeat weekly: By God's Grace, I will honor Sabbath in my daily life, recognizing the value of rest, renewal and delight, remembering the commandment "to honor the Sabbath and keep it holy." Exodus 20.8

If you are interested in knowing more about Discipleship Groups, please contact me at owene_courtney@yahoo.com If you would like to join a study of Wayne Mueller's book, please contact me as well.

Shalom, my friends.