Stopping

"Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. For six days you shall labour and do all your work. But the seventh day is a sabbath to theLord your God; you shall not do any work—you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns." Exodus 20: 8-10

Last week I was going through my normal routine in the morning: coffee, devotion, Bible reading, quiet time, and ESPN. I usually wake up watching Mike and Mike in the Morning (a sports radio show that airs on television). It was the day after the Yankees won the series and I caught the tail end of the discussion. "Greeny" as one of the Mikes is called, was expressing his surprise that there was already talk about how to improve for next year. He wondered out loud if maybe they could take just one day to enjoy the fruits of their labors and celebrate being world champs.

Golic, the other host named Mike, played college and professional football and argued that there was no time to take even the day after such a victory off - arguing that all the other teams were working to get better. In his opinion, if the Yankees (or any team that wins a championship) bask in their pleasure too long, the competition will leave them behind.

I thought this was an interesting caricature of the American culture. Sometimes it feels like the message we receive is that if you ever sit down to rest, someone else will pass you by and achieve more than you. To draw a parallel to a well-known story, many Americans seem to have the competitiveness of the Hare and the incessant drive of the Tortoise. The problem is that we, as limited beings, aren't meant to be constantly sprinting. We need rest.

Mike "Greeny" Greenberg comes from a Jewish heritage. He is familiar with this need for rest. The Hebrew word "שבת" is pronounced "Shab-bat." You may be more familiar with the pronunciation "Sabbath" which translates as "to cease; to stop." I believe that it is because of his being aware of this call for rest that "Greeny" thinks it's important to stop and just enjoy.

Don't let to do lists or ambition get in the way of your Sabbath this week. Relax a while and take stock of all that God has provided for you.

Dis-oriented

"She will chase after her lovers but not catch them; she will look for them but not find them. Then she will say,
'I will go back to my husband as at first,
for then I was better off than now.' She has not acknowledged that I was the one who gave her the grain, the new wine and oil, who lavished on her the silver and gold— which they used for Baal." Hosea 2:7-8

Last week I accompanied a youth group on a trip to a corn maze. I had never done one of these things before and was curious to see what it was like - how difficult it was, how entertaining I found 'being lost,' and how the youth would behave during the maze. When it came time to go through the maze, I was partnered with a group of junior high guys. They seemed eager to get started.

They walked the first few steps, then started jogging. I reluctantly quickened my step and tried to post on twitter about the maze as I tried to keep up with the group that kept disappearing around the next bend. It wasn't long before the conversation started, "We've already been here." "No, remember..." We were lost. In a hurry to finish the maze, there was little though going into turns and navigation...most of us really weren't sure if we had "been there" before- it's hard to take mental notes on the run, especially when all the corn stalks look alike!

How often to we get so excited about something that we cannot contain ourselves and "sprint" after it? I am so guilty of this. I find something interesting, pursue it with all my abilities, and then wonder why it wasn't everything I expected. I often find myself way off track and wondering how I got there.

I guess what I'm saying is that I think the cliche "walk with God" is appropriate terminology. Going slowly allows us to be familiar with how we got there. Slow down, take note of the ways that God is working in your life and stop and look around.

Over-relevance

"I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some." 1 Cor. 9: 22b

"Relevant" has become somewhat of a buzzword for many churches today. I know I've heard a fair amount of statements about how the church needs to do this or that in order to be relevant (or perhaps 'more appealing'). While I'm no expert, I think that the verse above (which I've taken out of context on purpose) can serve as a battle cry for wanting a "relevant" church. I do think it's important for the church's teaching to be relevant, but I think that the interpretation of how exactly the church is to become relevant can be the point of danger.

We are the church. We are called by Christ to be different. I fear that too many moves to be "relevant" may result in a loss of identity. And this concern spills over into the individual lives of Christians too (myself included). I fear that in trying to fit in, we may forget that we are not intended to fit in. Evaluating the life experiences of Christ and the apostles with society will show just how much those who follow God stick out sometimes. We are called to righteousness.

Remember your calling. Minister to all people.

" 'Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites." Exodus 19: 5-6
(If the Old Testament seems irrelevant, this same language is repeated in 1 Peter 2:9-12)