What is God saying to you? or What are you thinking? (because I believe that it is in thought that God often speaks to some of us, indeed, when grasped, this thinking can and does turn into prayer and when tamed, becomes a spiritual discipline.
What indeed? “Care for people” was my response to my pastor-questioner. But in the busy-ness that I encounter, it is hard. It is not so hard for me to care for people, but it is hard in the work-a-day world for them to be cared for. For to be cared for one must slow down and stop. Rest. It is here that care happens. This is why Sabbath is important, to be cared for.
On a trip to DC a few weeks ago, I heard a radio program while driving among the NoVa suburbs where our younger daughter works about sleep. The levels of sleep are several, from the light sleep where we are totally aware of our surroundings to deep sleep where we are virtually paralyzed in stillness. It is in this deep sleep that the body heals and has physical restoration. It is in dreams, the expert stated, that our mind goes through a daily ‘de-fraging’ (excuse the computer lingo). It is, therefore, in rest that we are renewed. Hence, Sabbath.
I’ve read a little bit over the last years about Sabbath. The philosophy I’ve developed about Sabbath comes from that. Once a week we are to stop. But God intends for it to be intentional, not random, like the train I was on yesterday slowed down and stopped. It stopped in the hottest part of the day and without explanation. It just stopped. After awhile people began to get restless. They looked out the window and wondered. Soon people began to get off! It was then that I figured that we were near the city. Indeed we were only about a km out of the city very near the outer train station. So I joined the folks who were rats from the stopped ship. And I made the walk into the city. This random stopping, in an uncomfortable situation, without preparation was not the best time for a rest. It was not planned, it was not intentional, it was not among loved ones, but among strangers. This was not Sabbath. But many people treat their “Sabbath” like this. With randomness. I’ll just take what comes! This is not scriptural. In Scripture, we read that God expects detail and panning and that which is supposed to consume one-seventh of our lives deserves thought and planning.
Sabbath, according to one writer should include delight. Intentional time to delight in God for He wishes to delight in His creation and we are made in his image, so we are made for delight. Delight in Him, one another, and in creation. This requires one to understand what we delight in. But this too requires an intentionality that is often missing in our work-a-day random world. What are the ways in which you delight in connecting to God, your loved ones, your own mind and heart? For we are all different and have different ways of going about things. We need to each identify ways of deepening our Sabbath.
Another writer urged that it is important to have daily Sabbath moments through each day. I have my smartphone organized in such a way that with each hour it reminds me with a brief Scripture text or a prayer. it’s like the chiming of Big Ben (though not so load) but better. Similarly, in a teaching on worship, my pastor stated that if we are not engaged in daily worship as individual followers of Jesus we are going to be less well prepared (or not prepared at all) to enter into corporate worship. I think he’s right, and I’ve found the through-the-day reminders as an important reminder that there need to be moments of quiet.
So what is God saying to us? Back to the original question. Most have no idea because most do not slow down long enough to listen. We all have so much input that it is hard to give attention to God. Often when I am engaged in the “business” part of my work, I am moving fast to accomplish x, y, and z and I’ll get a “business” call while driving here or there and I will (only half jokingly) tell my caller that they have 72% of my attention. But when I am engaged in the shepherding role of my work, I try to give the person with whom I am communicating as near 100% (as I can) of my attention. We don’t hear from God mainly because we fail to slow down and stop and listen. We say, “huh?” only to realize that God doesn’t stutter.
If you keep a calendar, answer yourself this: is God getting the attention on your calendar that He should? And I’m not necessarily talking about going to church, or worship for three hours on Sunday or whenever. I’m talking about you and God. Have you intentionally pushed aside other things in your calendar to MAKE room to slow down, rest, stop and listen. Listen for that still small voice. Decide on a a spot, a time and sit (or walk through a park) and listen. You will please God if you do, for He will delight in you, and with practice, you too will find that ability ro delight, in Him and in those and that which are around you. Without this, you violate at least two commandments, for you are failing to have Sabbath and you are robbing yourself of that blessed quiet that He so wants to enjoy with you.
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