Sabbath

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This is a funny season for our team.  

Kavi and Taylor have gone to Ethiopia, yet Adam and I are still in Ventura preparing to leave sometime this summer. Thus although our posts, may be slightly different in tone, I believe that God is still teaching us very similar things in these seasons of life, despite our distance. 

Here are some of my ponderings this morning, 
12 “Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the Lord your God has commanded you. 13 You have six days each week for your ordinary work, 14 but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your oxen and donkeys and other livestock, and any foreigners living among you. All your male and female servants must rest as you do. 15 Remember that you were once slaves in Egypt, but the Lord your God brought you out with his strong hand and powerful arm. That is why the Lord your God has commanded you to rest on the Sabbath day.

This is the longest (most words) of the ten commandments. The fourth commandment, just after don't take the Lord's name in vain. And yet I often ignore it.  In times of significant studying, like in college and  medical school I fairly regularly took a sabbath, and in fact remember that the tests and the times in life when I did sabbath I earned high grades and higher board scores than when I didn't.  Somehow the stress of life or the business of home has allowed me to forget the purpose and meaning of sabbath.  I busy myself with laundry or dishes or email (not "work") with all the time I have off or on my day of rest.  It sort of defeats the purpose. Especially now that we have a baby and we preparing to move to Ethiopia, there is so much stuff "to do" at home that it easily pushes its way into every day and every moment of "productive" time I have, but then joy and rest in the Lord escape me.  And I trust in  myself and the work of my hands more than the Lord.  I would have thought I learned my lesson, but alas, I need to learn it again.  

I am just so thankful to God that we can get into this rhythm before we move overseas, when the intentional time of rest is going to be all the more important for our health, but also for God.  Ultimately, sabbath is an outward expression of our hearts, that we love and trust that God will provide, even more than my desire to exert control over all the details and days of my life.  And what a fundamental thing and tangible way to communicate this to our son, to those around us and a reminder to my own heart. It is sweet in Deuteronomy 5 that this is the only commandment in which God gives us a small part of the reason why we are to obey.  To Remember.  To Remember that you were once slaves in Egypt, but the Lord your God brought you out with his strong hand and powerful arm. 

Now, I don't want to be legalistic about it (which I often have the tendency to do), but to stop and rest, just like the Lord, and ponder on his love and sit back enjoying creation to say "it is very good." (Gen 1:31) 

-Michelle

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