Week 17: Imperfect

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"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.  I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." (Jesus)

"Oh Lord, it's hard to be like Jesus." (Rich Mullins)

Our Sabbath began on Saturday evening this week.  Jennifer took the two older boys Christmas caroling with church and I took the youngest to see Santa.  During caroling, old friends were greeted and new friends were met and hearts and hands were warmed.  During our visit to Santa, the wish list was forgotten, but the point was made and the mission was accomplished. It was a great and promising start to the Sabbath, but it's hard to be like Jesus.

And on Sunday morning, Jennifer was asked to fill the pulpit.  That's work. On Sunday afternoon, I helped our oldest son take a bed apart, move it from the basement, and then out to the garage. That's work.  In a strict Sabbatarian sense, we stumbled impressively into a Sabbath transgression.  It's hard to be like Jesus.

And yet, I get the impression that the Lord of the Sabbath doesn't call us to be strict Sabbatarians.  He calls us to follow.  When we do, He promises us peace. And when we don't, He commands us not to be troubled with spiritual self-flagellation. After all, we are only human, and it is hard to be like Jesus. And God knows it.  

And God knows that though we didn't keep the Sabbath perfectly, we didn't neglect it entirely, either.  There were some things that we left undone; things like Christmas shopping, Christmas wrapping, and Christmas decorating.  Instead, we went out for pizza and ate a simple supper.  We listened to a book on tape.  Our oldest son announced that he would lead us in family devotions. It was awesome! (I'm not sure that he would have offered to do that seventeen weeks ago!)  

No, we didn't keep a perfect Sabbath.  That is no surprise.  But something has changed. Jesus is leading. We are listening.  And a little bit of that peace that Jesus promised has sneaked into even this busy and stressful season.  It is an umerited gift, and a precious one.

And even though we didn't keep the perfect Sabbath, Jesus kept us.  That is no surprise.  After all, isn't that what grace is? When we realized just how hard it is to be like Jesus, we discover that Jesus likes us anyway and is perfect for us when we are imperfect at best.  

Church Stopping. Less doing. More being.