Keeping Sabbath


My aha moment for this past week is the following:  

I am learning the meaning of “Sabbath” for my life.  That seems to be the theme that keeps coming back to me as I journey with the folks  in ministry here at RLC.  I am learning how it is important to honor, protect, practice and be a witness to the power of Sabbath in my life and all of our lives. 
Walter Bruggeman said, “Sabbath in the first instance is not about worship.  It is about work stoppage.  It is about withdrawal from the anxiety system of Pharaoh, the refusal to let ones life be defined by production  and consumption and the endless pursuit of private well-being.”  
Between the hectic nature of the day to day, preparation for Sundays, managing staff, health and then sprinkled with deaths of infants and attempted suicides, I have learned the need to honor, protect, practice and be a witness to the power of Sabbath in my life so that others have permission to do the same.  
It has been pretty amazing to watch people see and here permission differently.  For many we work so hard and forget the importance of rest - for all of creation.  I was blessed today to have a wonderful conversation with one of our disciples after worship today that is a farmer.  He talked about his need for rest and renewal.  He talked about the need for the same for the animals that he tends to.  He gets it.  At 21 he gets it.  When we pause for Sabbath, for renewal - we provide good ground for fruits of the spirit to grow in us.  
We work and work spinning our wheels trying to obtain some sort of private well being (not that its entirely bad)  that Walter Bruggeman talks about and never taking the moment to stop and hear God for our lives or even for the world.  
Having Sabbath, makes us better disciples of Jesus.  
Having Sabbath, makes us better family members.  
Having Sabbath makes us better workers.  
Having Sabbath makes us foster faith, joy, kindness, love, gentleness, goodness, patience, peace and self control. 
It is not a sign of weakness.  But rather it is a sign of great strength because it means that we have a trust in God for all that we do.  A trust, that God will work it out, in spite of us.  

Blessings 
Rev. Imani Dodley

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