random musings

in an attempt to overthrow idle busyness and regain a sabbath, a day to rest and relax in the arms of my Savior (the second week in a row i’ve dedicated an entire day to such and have actually been successful at it, woohooo!), i’ve become reacquainted with my balcony. the balcony was in hibernation for the winter, but has slowly awakened and is stumbling drowsily around the backside of my tiny, third-floor apartment. the balcony overlooks a poorly seeded lawn, a couple picnic tables, and a jungle of trees that obscure my view of apartment buildings at the other end of the complex. ’tis a nice balcony, but it would be better suited overlooking the ocean.

in reflecting on my pursuit of a loving God (or rather, my response to His pursuit of me), i’ve recognized that it truly is easier to motivate myself to seek Him in earnest, when in the scope of something breathtaking. if i’m on a beach at sunrise, i automatically want to stand and shout praises, or to sit and quietly watch in awe. it seems it is so much easier to capture a moment when i’m out of my natural realm. it reminds me of a mini-vacation i took last year. if i can spare a few days in a row, i love to get away, especially to the gulf. no agenda, no sightseeing, just some alone time with the sand and the saltwater and the Savior. it makes me want to take those mini-vacations often. but it seems impractical that i need to drive six hours to the shore to encounter God, when He is as alive and well on the outskirts of atlanta, as he is on the white beaches of florida’s panhandle.

one of the ways websters defines vacate (from which we derive the word vacation) is to “leave vacant”. when i am in florida worshiping, there is a vacancy here. people don’t reach me when they call the office. kids selling $3 candy bars to raise money for some cause knock on my apartment door and get no answer. i’m in florida, and the role i fill at home is left vacant. i’m beginning to think that that’s what my sabbath should become. a vacation. a time away, even if i haven’t gone anywhere. a time to vacate my role in life, to take a mini-vacation from answering the phone and the door and the demands of life and to recognize the presence of God where i am.

vacations are incredible! that’s why we plan them months in advance. and God’s design is for us to take a mini-vacation each week. the sabbath is not as much for His benefit as it is for ours. it’s not as much a time for Him to connect with us as it is for us to connect with Him. it is the most intimate of worship services. a time where we abandon, or vacate all the busyness of life and rest in Him. not even necessarily breaking open His word and reading as far as we can at as rapid as pace as we can to squeeze in as much as we can into our sabbath. but to sit, to rest, to enjoy being in His presence. to enjoy being a child of the Father. to contemplate Him. to reflect on us. to rest and relax in the arms of the Savior.

Matthew 11:28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light.” (NLT)