Wednesday Wonder – November 22, 2023

Having just returned from a two week vacation, I am contemplating the whole idea of taking time off from work. We all look forward to vacation time. We plan a trip, or we plan a list of things to do while staying home. Or maybe, we even plan nothing and stay home doing what the younger generation calls “Netflix and chill”. We spend our time just before leaving trying to finish everything up to have a clean desk, inbox or house before we depart. We think how wonderful it will be to step out of the usual routine and just ‘be’ for a while.

What actually happens while we are on vacation may or may not follow what our hopes and plans were supposed to be. Inevitably our list of what we want to do, or get done, is longer than reasonably possible to accomplish. Or, we find there is something else we would rather do once we get away. Or, we just don’t have the energy. And sometimes, we have a timetable of activity that is out of our control and we just have to keep moving.

So, what do we actually gain from taking a vacation? Sometimes, vacations are a time of rest and renewal. Which is, I believe, what they are supposed to be about. Sometimes, they are not.

Vacations are our intentional time of stopping our usual routines and expectations. They are Sabbath times. Or, they should be.

God created and then God rested. That is what Sabbath time is; taking a rest from the work. I don’t know about all of you, but I struggle with actually taking Sabbath time. Whether it is the quick look at the work email, or reading or writing something that is work related, because it will only take a few minutes and I haven’t had time to get it done. Little things can creep into that time we are supposed to be taking for Sabbath rest.

Jesus reminds us that God wants Sabbath rest for God’s people. For much of history, one day a week was set aside for such rest. Nearly everyone attended some sort of religious service, they stopped working at their paid work, they spent time with family. But slowly, over the centuries less and less Sabbath rest has become available. Finding it takes intention on our parts. And when we do get it, do we honestly use it?

Even taking a moment in each day to stop, take a deep breath, say a word of thanks for all that we have in our lives, can be a refreshing Sabbath time. We need it. We need to be intentional about finding and embracing it. Even Jesus struggled to get some Sabbath time during his ministry. My favourite stories, as well as my least favourite stories, are of Jesus quietly stepping away from all the busyness to go off by himself and pray. Unfortunately, he is usually quickly tracked down and pulled back. He also has to get up before dawn to get any quiet time for himself. While it is clear he knows this time is important, even Jesus struggled to get it. Not surprising that we, too, struggle.

Those of us who are part of the church usually see Sunday as that day of Sabbath rest. That is not the case for all of us now as our society has changed. And, for those of us who prepare and lead worship it is not a day of rest. For me, it is a work day. Because of this, I am intentional about creating a Sabbath time on another day. When I don’t get that time, I know I am not at my best. I cannot offer my best to everyone else. I suspect most of us are similar.

God wants us to have that time. God hopes for us times of rest and renewal. Jesus urged us to be intentional about taking that time. Jesus also understands that sitting in Sabbath time can be difficult. Let us encourage one another to find our Sabbath rest and to support one another as we do so.

Some of my recent vacation time was spent just sitting and cuddling my grandson. I found Sabbath rest in that. And so did his parents, who could simply step away from full responsibility and rest, even just for a moment.

Find what feeds and renews you. Embrace your Sabbath time. It is allowed. Whatever was waiting before will still be there, but it can wait.

Peace,
Rev. Mary-Jane