Mums Not the Word....Here are more Sabbath thoughts.
November 10
Our Nashville daughter has also been under some excellent sabbath teachings by Randy Pope. (An Atlanta minister.)
He shares that on the Sabbath we are to consider our "creaturely dependence" on God and says of the Sabbath's purpose: "It's purpose is to draw our attention to something that is even bigger than life itself. The pattern is in place to cause us to regularly gaze upon the One from whom our life springs, and in whom our lives have meaning."
Pope asks us to consider this scenario:
"Imagine that you and God are standing in a room together. The room is empty except for a treadmill that is placed close to you on one side. On the far side, a solitary window looks out at another world where you have never been. God turns to speak to you, 'Child, I want you to get on the treadmill and run. Run as hard as you like with all the strength I have given you, and for the sheer joy of running. Sometimes it will feel like you are running downhill; you will feel strong, leaping hurdles easily. Other times it will seem that you are running uphill against many obstacles; but you will learn to trust My strength. Only know this: every seventh day you must stop running, go to the window and look out on what I have prepared for you. For the day will come when you will leave this room and your running will cease. And you must not think that running is all you were made for.'"
"Imagine that you begin to run and it feels great. You can just tell you were built for this. It feels so natural and good and right. You continue to run and you get used to the rhythm. You run hard and fast for six days, and then the seventh day comes and you remember what God said. You realize then you have three options.
1) You could keep running. You look around and notice for the first time that there are many rooms with many other people running on their treadmills. Some of them have run further than you. You find yourself envying what they've achieved. Many of them aren't showing any signs of fatigue, and you notice that they aren't getting off their treadmills. You wonder if you can keep up with them. You wonder if you're supposed to try.
2) You could just sit down and take a breather. You notice that's what a lot of people are doing. It looks like they're enjoying the change of pace. Some are just sitting. Some are busy with things they've collected while they were running. Others are fiddling around with their treadmills and they seem pretty concerned about what they've achieved so far. Some seem pleased; some don't. You wonder if you should join them.
3) You could go over to the window and see what God has in store for you. You remember that God said that running was not all you were made for. If not running, then what else? You notice a few others who are looking out windows o their own. They are so still, they seem entranced. You begin to be curious about what you would see out your window. You wonder how that vision might affect the way you will run tomorrow.
Now think about the three options. Which describes the pattern of your life?
"Without a Sabbath we would keep running on the treadmill of life, wrongly believing that our work and accomplishments prove our significance and bring us the glory we crave."
These thoughts on the Sabbath have stirred me to make it about more than rest...to make it about my Redeemer!
These thoughts on the Sabbath have stirred me to make it about more than rest...to make it about my Redeemer!
