Sabbath

By Pastor Paul Gauche

Today’s Word: ‘Sabbath’ as in… ‘rest’ or ‘margin.’ Sabbath… not necessarily a structure of time, but rather, a state of being

I recently had a calendar collision. You know what that is, don’t you? A calendar collision is when two [or more!] important commitments occupy the same space on your calendar. A soccer game, and a dental appointment. A wedding and a funeral. Not that I would know. That’s rarely an issue for me, but when it happens, I am mocked by the recollection of an old Great American Historical Moments Collection poster. Onlookers in suit coats and top hats stand on a damaged train trestle peering down at a locomotive that has crashed into the river.

The caption on that poster pretty well sums up the prevailing thought when there’s a moment like that.

As I continue to learn about thriving rhythms in our lives, I am growing in appreciation for the rhythms that create wonder and awe, life, and aliveness. There are seven rhythms that I lean into every day: I am a spirited, creative, and connected person, called to be present, grateful, generous, and missional with my whole life. Baked into all these rhythms is the rhythm of sabbath, as in making time and room to step out of chronos moments (time within measurable time) and stepping into the kairos moment (time beyond time; the opportune time). Giving attention to the rhythm of sabbath by creating room for rest and margin creates a deeper awareness of and appreciation for what it means to be fully human. Sabbath is integral to a healthy life. And being fully human is what we’re called to do and be.

Thich Nhat Hanh writes, “To live in the present moment is a miracle. The miracle is not to walk on water. The miracle is to walk on the green earth in the present moment, to appreciate the peace and beauty that are available now.”

Thriving Reflections:

++ What is your antidote to calendar collisions?

++ What sabbath practices are most helpful for you?

++ How does practicing sabbath help you thrive?

#100days50words

#Thriv’ëra

Paul Gauche is the Pastor of Life Transitions at Prince of Peace. His posts are part of his #100days50words project, where he blogs about a different word each week. You can follow his project on Instagram (@pgauche) or his blog, Thriving Rhythms.