Sabbath

Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array, and on the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing, and he rested

Genesis 2:1-2

Long time friend and spiritual mentor, Kevin Huddleston, taught me that Sabbath is the discipline of knowing when to say “that’s enough…” This teaching reveals that Sabbath is not something we do once a week, but rather a way of life. The infinite being we call God made everything we see and then said “that’s enough…” In this divine mystery we are reminded that just because we CAN do a thing does not mean we SHOULD do it. Further, Sabbath invites us into the gift of simply BEING.

Today

Just for today

Breathing

Enough

Everything else may want your allegiance today, but breathing is enough. Money may want your time. Time may want your money. The world may need fixing, the hungry may be hungry, there are wars raging, there is pain and suffering, and there is illness. There are plenty of things worth your time and compassion and a seemingly endless list of worries which are not. But Sabbath says, in this moment, breathing is enough. Tomorrow has enough troubles of its own, and maybe today will take care of itself if we can just believe that Breathing. Is. Enough.

Be aware of the little moments when your souls says “that’s enough” throughout the day today. Take it as an invitation to rest. When you’re done with a thing leave it and let it be. It may even help to repeat “that’s enough” whenever you are moving from one task to another. The frenetic pace of life can be a slave driver which keeps us in bondage to the false identity that human worth is something to be earned or achieved. God says you have innate and immeasurable worth. Rest was created for you not you for rest. May you rest in the presence of the living God this day. May you be refreshed by living waters of peace. May you rest in the life giving command to keep the Sabbath as a way of life.