A Year of Sabbaths (Week 27): Accidental Sabbath

(Photo from www.freeimages.com #1063592)

"Be still, and know that I am God; 

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth." (Psalm 46:10)

On Sunday afternoon, were were planning on coming home after church and cleaning out the desk drawer in the Dream Room (it's really our office but it has maps on the walls and a globe on the floor and lots of books to inspire dreams of far away places and foster lofty thoughts).  The Dream Room is in  the back of the house...far enough away for us to hide but also far enough away for us to hide stuff. There is only one drawer in the Dream Room. And it was an overflowing mess.

However, on Sunday afternoon, our best laid plans were scrapped. We had been extemporaneously invited to watch the basketball game at noon with some friends. It wasn't long before we were entirely off topic. The Dream Room drawer remained in mayhem.  In fact, we never even made it home. We drove from the church, picked up some pizza, and drove directly across town in order to catch tip-off.  Shortly after arrival, we found out that the game was at three. But we sat and stayed. We ate, we visited, and we rested.

It was an accidental Sabbath.

So I thought.  But now, in reflection, I am beginning to wonder. It seems as if God knew exactly what was happening.  In fact, it seems God's people are always right where God wants them to be even if it is three hours early; it only seems accidental.

After all, Moses was herding sheep when he saw the burning bush. Elijah was running for his life when he heard the still small voice. Saul was rounding up some Damascus Christians when he was blinded by the Lord.  Peter was fishing when Jesus called to him from the shore.

Maybe this God who created koalas, ear lobes, and the blobfish enjoys the humor in it. When we are least expecting it, and when we feel like we are not getting anything done, that is when God reveals His omnipresence. Scripture says, "Be still and know".  Author and theologian Abraham Heschel says:

"The law of the Sabbath tries to direct the body and the mind to the dimension of the holy.

It tries to teach us that man stands not only in relation to nature

but in a relation also to the creator of nature."

    

In other words, God sometimes will give us a burning bush, or scales on our eyes, or a still small voice, or an unplanned afternoon with friends to remind us of who and where God is.  He's right here, in relationship with us.  And we will experience it if we just stop...even "accidentally."

Church Stopping. Less doing. More being.