A Day of Rest

The last couple weeks I've been trying to figure out how to have a Sabbath. Like, what do you do on your Sabbath day? I think there's more to it than just not working, but there's not really a "Sabbath Day For Dummies" that outlines activities you should be doing. Or not doing. We talk about the necessity of a day of rest, and I agree that's really important, but what does that mean? Certainly finding time to be in the Word and getting with the Lord is a big part of it. But I don't think I could sit and read my Bible for 12 hours, could you? So I'm just trying different things and seeing what works. No TV is one thing. It's way too easy for me to get caught up in television programming, even if there's nothing on. I haven't quite gotten to no computer yet, though I am trying to spend less time on social media sites (says the girl updating her blog...).

This morning, after reading in Psalms and eating breakfast, I thought I might give verse memorization a try. I don't necessarily struggle to memorize verses, but I haven't disciplined myself to be in the practice on a regular basis. I decided to start with 1 John 1:1-4 since we'll be going through the book of 1 John at church and after a lot of pacing around the apartment and gesturing to help me remember key words, I think I finally got it. I will probably spend the week focusing on those four verses just to make sure that they are really sinking in. No sense in rushing.

I also went for a walk this morning and just listened to worship music and enjoyed nature. I now have a path if I ever decide to take up running and want to do the couch to 5k, but that's another post! As I was walking, I came to a point where I could continue on the path that I knew the end result or I could get on a bike/walking trail that I had not pursued before. I started going the familiar route but then turned around, thinking that maybe I knew where the walking trail would take me and decided to go the road less traveled (at least by me). I ended up being so glad that I did. For one thing, it was a lot prettier than the other route, but if I hadn't backtracked a little, I never would have seen a couple from my church walking with their new baby, nor would I have seen the gorgeous red of a male cardinal just before he flitted away into the woods. I am learning that it is the little things in which God speaks or makes His presence known. And as I continued walking, I started looking around for more signs that He was walking with me.

I also began thinking about how our walk with the Lord is often like that; we want to walk on the path we know, the one we have walked for so long that our footsteps have worn into the path, we could travel it with our eyes shut. We don't rely on God's help because, in a way, we don't think we need Him anymore. But when we, with the Father's guiding hand, decide to veer off the path and go a different direction, we start to see things we have never seen before. Life becomes exciting and new again. And because we don't know which way to go, we take the Father's hand again and walk closer with Him. And He delights in showing us all of the things He has made for us.

We have all heard the saying that "the joy is in the journey". I have also heard "arguments" against that, saying that the joy is at the end of the journey, when we will spend eternity with Christ in heaven. No question I agree with that, but I think there can be joy in the journey of life as well when we experience it the way that God intended for us. And when we have experienced joy in life, how much sweeter will it be when we experience true and lasting joy in the presence of God the Father for eternity?