August breaks in with this glorious day - the earth in full flourish of abundance.  Over the past weeks my wife has been sidelined from her usual active life by a horse-back riding accident.  She is now recovering well, but over these past nine long weeks she has been severely limited in her activity.  Sitting, lying down, short walks were all that the doctor allowed. Sitting still and being inactive turn out to be an arduous discipline.  Remembering not to bend down, not to lift anything heavier than a gallon of milk, this is rigorous. 

Most of us long for days off, a rest from the demands of work, finding respite from what has been called the “ceaseless society” – to be idle and blessed.  But, this disciplined “non-doing” is not so easy and is not the same as doing nothing.  I suspect this is why God commands Sabbath for the whole creation – because it does not come easily.

The discipline of Sabbath turns out to be part of the larger creative purpose to which God has called us all.  The blessed rest of Sabbath creates time to recollect our vocational heart and time to be restored for the blessed and noble work we are called to do.  Then the doing, the working, the creating during the rest of the week can flow from our human being as children of God - created stewards of the bounty of these glorious August days.

Peace to all in these abundant days,

Pastor Lee Goodwin +