At this article’s writing, the world is locked down in the face of the Coronavirus pandemic. There is a lot of uncertainty and fear and grace and kindness all wrapped into a confusing bundle of emotion and experience. It is a surreal season through which we must walk, but I think we are all learning a lot in the process.
Last week, I signed into an online meeting of the class on Old Testament Theology that I am auditing at Ashland Theological Seminary. Just when I had gotten into the practice of revisiting the holy ground of my alma mater on Wednesday mornings, it was time to shift to the online platform for the sake of slowing the tidal wave of COVID-19. While we were all sharing about some of our experiences with it so far, I found myself divulging that I was oddly grateful for the down time quarantine had provided. To this, my wise and prophetic Karen responded:
“The whole world has been forced into a Sabbath rest.”
What a beautiful and terrifying word to speak over the world! How gracious and how inducing of vulnerability!
I write from the context of the West, where productivity and achievement is everything. Recently, there has been an emergence of a “Present Over Perfect” (Shauna Niequest) movement, which affirms that we are not ultimately defined by what we do, but by who we are when we pursue the difficult endeavor of living as our best selves. I agree with this line of thought, but I have always had a difficult time separating my purpose from my productivity. What are we if we are not moving forward?
The answer, of course, is that we are God’s; made in God’s image, daughters and sons that do not need to do a thing in order to embrace our belovedness.
Do not get me wrong; work is a wonderful thing. It is a blessing to be able to contribute and provide, each in our own unique ways. But I believe we are to lead our lives from the starting point of rest, not exhaustion. I believe we are to be defined by our personhood, not our productivity. Life is a balance of work and rest, not toil and the act of just barely recovering.
Enter: Sabbath.
It has taken a really long time for the practice of routine rest to play a part in the rhythms of my life, but here’s how I do it:
· I work hard Sunday through Thursday. I am the Coordinator of Volunteer Ministries at Ashland First United Methodist and I have the absolute joy of helping to oversee the amazing people who make the ministries of our faith community what they are. I love my job and I do the best I can to serve well throughout the week.
· That week of hard work comes to an end at 9 PM on Thursday evening. I stop answering texts and emails related to work. I try to prayerfully hand ministry over to Jesus so that I might sit back and be restored.
· It looks different every week, but Sabbath for Lindsey Funtik almost always includes a coffee shop. I might wake up, ride into town with my husband when he goes to work, and then head to a local roaster that I absolutely love. I will engage with some Scripture and do some writing and then read a novel for however long I want. I sip a cappuccino. I stare aimlessly out the window for a while. Lunch, maybe a nap, maybe the gym. John and I might cook and I aspire to end the day at 9 PM (so that it’s a full 24 hours) with a prayer of thanks.
· It’s not about zoning out, but about disconnecting from some things for the sake of deeper connection with the truest Thing.
· Saturday may or may not include ministry, but I always wake up rested and ready to go. I have had my moment of repose and the Spirit has juiced me up to launch headlong into another week of good, Kingdom work.
That’s it. My Sabbath practice is simple in that I essentially do whatever I can to personally recharge and get in touch with Jesus.
The part that is not simple, however, is the mental hurdles that I have to jump through in order to truly enjoy Sabbath. Ultimately, choosing to rest is an act of faith because it is the act of saying, “The world will not stop spinning because I disengage for a while. The Lord can handle it.”
This is harder than it might seem.
But now, as dear Karen said, the world has been thrust into the midst of an unasked-for Sabbath rest. There are certainly people who are still on the front lines fighting against the rising pandemic, and I am so grateful for them, but a lot of us find ourselves working from home or otherwise sequestered within four walls. So how can we seize this time and allow it to inform our walks of faith? How can we trust that the world will not stop spinning if we seize the silver linings of this cloud? Luckily, quarantines do not exclude Jesus. Whether you have multiple hours or fifteen minutes, Jesus can meet you in Sabbath rest and recharge you for the day(s) ahead. A few suggestions:
· Start mornings slowly, with coffee and devotions that you otherwise might have had to skip for the sake of getting ready and getting out the door.
· The advent of spring means some sunshine and slightly warmer temperatures, so get outside. A brisk walk during which you notice fresh air and birdsong can reorient you to the Creator.
· Practice different types of prayer exercises. A great resource for this is Creating a Life With God: The Call of Ancient Prayer Practices by Daniel Wolpert. Google is also a great resource. Please, feel free to reach out if you would like more information about prayer practices you can try!
· Relish in what community surrounds you. Have a long meal with your spouse, read with your kids, even call a friend. God can refuel us through community, even at a distance.
· Do whatever it is that centers you specifically. For me, it’s novels and baking and naps and coffee. For you, it might be music or woodworking or needlepoint or good movies. Know thyself, and trust the Lord to meet you where you are, using the interests He gave you.
Once, while worshiping as a guest at a Jewish synagogue, I got to partake in a Sabbath service in which we stood up and faced the door as a way of welcoming the Sabbath like a bride. We honored the inbreaking of rest and we committed to set it aside as God designed. My challenge to you is to recognize Sabbath when she walks in the door and embrace her for all that she is. It might look like quarantine, it might look like Friday cappuccinos, it might look like Sunday afternoons from 1:15-2:30. However Sabbath manifests in your life, consecrate it to the Lord and trust that we can sit back on the assurance of faith and renewal.
Lindsey Funtik 