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BREAD FOR THE JOURNEY BLOG@ Rhythms of Grace: a Journey into RestSustenance for the journey into rest and peace
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THE HEALING POWER OF SABBATH REST  A few years ago, my husband and I moved to the beautiful border-country between Scotland and England, an area which was completely new to us. Our new home was an amazing answer to prayer, and for months we explored the area and marvelled at the Lord’s wonderful provision. We found that so many of our deepest desires had been met, not only in our home, but in its location, and in the area as a whole. I think our experience would have been very similar to that of Adam discovering the delights of Eden, for I’m sure that Adam spent his first day, the Lord’s day of rest, exploring and enjoying the wonders of God’s provision. Exploring and enjoying our Heavenly Father's grace-gifts is also an important ingredient in how we spend Sabbath time. In the rush of everyday life, we often don’t appreciate all we’ve been given—we’re too busy trying to keep our heads above the water. However, our lives are filled to the brim with blessings, and Sabbath time is the time to stop and take note. CREATION  We live in a beautiful world, despite man’s best attempts to destroy it. Scientific research shows that spending time in nature is beneficial to our health, so let’s take some Sabbath time to enjoy God’s provision. But let’s also go expecting an encounter with the Creator, for He is revealed in His handiwork. You can read more about Meet the Maker... by clicking on this link. RELATIONSHIPS  Who are the special people in your life? Our primary relationships—with God, family members and close friends—need the investment of time; instead they often they get squeezed out by our busyness, resulting in some of these ‘life-joints’ seizing up due to lack of nurture and exercise. Ear-marking some of our Sabbath-rest-periods for these relationships is another element of delighting in the Lord’s provision. SPECIAL MEALS  In the western world we are blessed with a rich array of foodstuffs, however many of us limit our diet to the quick and familiar. Sabbath is a good time to explore other tastes and cuisines, and celebrate our abundance of supply; so, let’s take the opportunity to go out for a meal, or cook up a feast. Eating together is also a vital part of building relationships. Have a look at Spirit-led Breathing Spaces: the Rhythm of Mealtimes for more inspiration. OUR SPIRITUAL INHERITANCE  God’s provision isn’t just material. We have been blessed with a huge spiritual inheritance, however many of us live like paupers instead of beloved sons and daughters of the King. We need to take some of our Sabbath rest to explore the riches of His grace. There are many pages on this website to help with this; try the following to get started: The Power of the Cross Who am I Really? The Gift of Righteousness OTHER STUFF Our lives are filled with good things, but often we just don’t take time out to enjoy them. Concentrating so hard on making our home better that we never enjoy it as it is? Surrounded by interesting places to visit, but too often working overtime to take the family? New bike in the shed, but no time to ride it? Too focused on keeping up with the fashions to enjoy what’s already in the cupboard? The list is endless—and different for each of us. Sabbath is about taking time to enjoy and give thanks for the amazing bounty in our lives. And then there’s the creative part of our personalities; we are made in the image of the Creator, after all. Sabbath rest provides much-needed time to explore and delight in inspirational recreation, from painting to model making, chainsaw sculpture to writing poetry; or in enjoying others’ artistry—in music, art or the written word perhaps—the things that get crowded out of our workaday lives, but have the ability to refresh or invigorate. Sabbath rest is such an important contributor to our health and well-being, we need to make it a lifestyle choice. Maybe we can’t do everything on this list, but we could make a start by being intentional about one thing—and take it from there… THIS WEEK'S RHYTHM OF GRACE
NEXT WEEK: 5) SABBATH IS A LIFESTYLE Sabbath is a way of life—a life punctuated by grace-moments… GET IN TOUCH!
[Photo credits: Anastasiya Badun (flower); Prottoy Hassan (stargazer); Tyler Nix (people on beach); Mohau Mannathoko (communal meal); Aaron Burden (bible); Tetiana Shyshkina (painting) @ Unsplash, with thanks]
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