Beloved,
Perhaps you got a chance to sleep in a bit this morning, or, like me, you were awake before dawn (not planned). Your day may include being the referee between your children, finishing your sermon for tomorrow, trying to figure out the challenges of livestreaming your sermon for tomorrow, packing more food boxes, or just tackling the pile of laundry that’s not going away.
The concept of Sabbath in the midst of crisis may seem out of reach, especially if we think of Sabbath in its traditional definition of a full day of rest. Yet it is what it is, and we do what we are called to do.
Cleland Boyd McAffee penned these words
There is a place of quiet rest,
near to the heart of God,
a place where sin cannot molest,
near to the heart of God.
Refrain:
O Jesus, blest Redeemer,
sent from the heart of God,
hold us, who wait before thee,
near to the heart of God.
2 There is a place of comfort sweet,
near to the heart of God,
a place where we our Savior meet,
near to the heart of God. [Refrain]
3 There is a place of full release,
near to the heart of God,
a place where all is joy and peace,
near to the heart of God. [Refrain]
For today, I am praying for quiet rest, comfort sweet, and full release in the form of Sabbath moments, when we slow down, breathe deeply, and notice the presence of God in the midst of it all. Perhaps one of the verbs on Steve Macchia’s list of 19 ways to care for your soul may give you that moment of Sabbath rest. I realize that many of us are not staying at home, but this may be helpful to share with our people – and the concepts are transferable even to those who are ministering outside the home in these days.
Soul Care
Steve Macchia shares 19 Ways to Care-for-your-Soul…during Stay-at-Home COVID-19. He writes:
During these challenging stay-at-home days, let me encourage you to cultivate your friendship with God, deepen your friendship with the community of God, and consider ways to serve others in the name of our Triune God, our loving Father, gracious Savior, and empowering Holy Spirit. As we all practice physical distancing and collectively fight the pandemic, it’s important that we care for our own soul and the souls of others within our reach, in both new and ancient ways:
1. Pray – now more than ever, we need to be in our prayer closets entrusting our hearts and lives and concerns into the loving hands of our faithful God.
2. Walk – sheltering inside days on end will contribute to sadness, boredom, fretting, fearing, and obsessing…take a daily walk and get some fresh air.
3. Rest – pay attention to your body and get much needed rest; perhaps even consider a daily nap to keep your heart, mind, body, and spirit fresh.
4. Play – maybe it’s time to get out those puzzles, board or card games, and engage with a loved one around something less weighty and more relaxing.
5. Write – write a note, craft a poem, start or restart your journal, or simply put words down on paper that describe the current state of your soul.
6. Read – starting with the Bible, Christian materials, and perhaps a good novel, or a self-help book, read slowly, purposefully, restfully, meditatively.
7. Create – contemplative creative play is worth practicing, bringing to life that “other” side of your productivity: color, paint, mold clay, take photos.
8. Cook – instead of eating instant foods made by manufacturers, pull out a fun, easy, or even a more complex recipe and enjoy a good meal or treat.
9. Call – in this digital age it’s tempting to think we can stay in touch with friends and loved ones only one way; pick up the phone and call instead.
10. Serve – guaranteed there are neighbors around you in need of an act of kindness and grace; ask the Lord to lead you to do something simple for another.
11. Forgive – in the busy fray of life we often ignore our anger, frustration, and conflict with others; ask the Lord if it might be time to forgive and move on.
12. Laugh – we all need some good news to counter all the sad news; give yourself permission to be lighthearted, knowing that laughter is good for the soul.
13. Notice – with open space and less responsibilities (unless you’re on the front lines of medical care, etc.) observe springtime popping all around you.
14. Hope – in times of trouble, hardship, suffering, and sadness, look in God’s Word for words of hope and comfort that will keep you moving forward.
15. Declutter – take it one room or one drawer or one closet or one file at a time and purpose to simplify, clear out, and/or dust off what’s been ignored.
16. Slow – choose a different pace for your days and watch how your world slows down with you; linger over tasks, lessen the load, and live more fully.
17. Thank – lean fully into gratitude, for it will heal and strengthen you like few other attitudes; as you practice thankfulness your heart will swell with joy.
18. Listen – as tempting as it may be to focus on yourself, practice the fine art of listening – to God and to others, without competing or correcting them.
19. Love – the most important way to care for your soul is to love God, and then love your neighbor as yourself; love will empower us through this season.
In Benediction
When someone is going through a storm, your silent presence is more powerful than a million empty words. – Mahatma Gandhi
From the Voice translation, Philippians 4:5-9:
“Keep your gentle nature so that all people will know what it looks like to walk in His footsteps. The Lord is ever present with us. Don’t be anxious about things; instead, pray. Pray about everything. He longs to hear your requests, so talk to God about your needs and be thankful for what has come. And know that the peace of God ( a peace that is beyond any and all of our human understanding) will stand watch over your hearts and minds in Jesus, the Anointed One. Finally, brothers and sisters, fill your minds with beauty and truth. Meditate on whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is good, whatever is virtuous and praiseworthy. Keep to the script: whatever you learned and received and heard and saw in me—do it—and the God of peace will walk with you.”
Grace and peace be yours in abundance,
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