Morning, Noon, and Night
Week four - R&R
Deuteronomy 5:12-17 and Psalm 116:1-7
Burnout - when your soul can no longer bear the weight of your life
*When this happens, and preferably before this happens, we need to deal with the weight (increase margin) and also nurture a healthier soul (soul care, being with God)
Often our instinct is that in order to do those things - we have to get away - “R&R”
Most of us aren’t burning out because of how we’re spending or not spending our periods of R&R, or our “time off”, we’re burning out because of how we’re spending our “time on.”
We need
Two myths about rest:
- Rest = a break from life
- Rest happens when work is done
We don’t need a moment of rest, we need a
God calls this
12 “Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the Lord your God has commanded you. 13 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 14 but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns, so that your male and female servants may rest, as you do. 15 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the Lord your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day. —Deuteronomy 5:12-15
What is sabbath?
A spiritual practice that keeps us anchored to the presence of God
Comes from the Hebrew word shabbat, which means “stop, cease, be still, or be quiet”
Reason: God knew that if they didn’t stop, they would
1) forget who they were (we belong to God, no longer slaves);
and 2) forget who God is (the one who saves, the one who is good, the one who is able to handle the weight of our lives)
Sabbath is about:
- Stopping
- Remembering
“When we stop striving, God starts restoring.”
1 I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy.
2 Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.
3 The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came over me;
I was overcome by distress and sorrow.
4 Then I called on the name of the Lord: “Lord, save me!”
5 The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion.
6 The Lord protects the unwary; when I was brought low, he saved me.
7 Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you. —Psalm 116:1-7
Rest is a state of trust - I can stop. I can be with God, and it will be okay.
The idea of “returning to our rest” is making space for God to restore His good intentions in our life and for our lives.
We need a rhythm of rest that leads to Restoration and Resilience. (the real R&R)
When we’ve been with God - RESILIENCE
- We’re not thrown with every circumstance or trial that comes our way.
- Our ability to practice patience and kindness isn’t determined by someone else’s behavior.
- We build a root system that keeps us from giving up or losing compassion when difficulty comes.
When we get squeezed, the first things we often neglect are:
faith, marriage, community, and rest
*I think those things are worth prioritizing and protecting.
Practically speaking:
Don’t give up on the idea of sabbath because you can’t figure out how to arrange your life to do nothing for 24 hours - that misses the point
Do force the issue of stopping. Making time to rest and remember in a way that brings restoration and resilience.
Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28-30)