Psalm 23: Sabbath Shepherd

I have a confession to make this morning.  I struggle with Sabbath.  Now, I try hard.  I set aside time every Friday.  Unless there is something that comes up.  Unless there is something that needs my attention.  Unless there is a big event to prepare for.  Unless there is a life event like a funeral or a wedding.  Unless, Unless, unless.  I struggle with Sabbath.

From the beginning, God created all of creation and then rested.  God rested on the 7th day.  We do not necessarily believe that God was tired or worn out, rather that God rests as a model for us.  We, who are tired and worn out; we, who know exhaustion and exasperation; we, who need to return to God; we, who need to rely on God. God set a life model for all of us, that there would be a day of rest, a Sabbath, set aside and holy. It would be a day for restoration for the soul.  There would be worship and renewal.  God created Sabbath for us. Sabbath is a time to lie down in green pastures and restore your soul.

In Psalm 23, this is given to the sheep of the Good Shepherd.  As we were reflecting together, I asked Judy if there are any type of sheep who need to be laid down and urged to lay down.  I had always imagined from this verse that sheep needed to almost be forced to take rest.  However, this image was askew.  As you heard, sheep like to rest.  We trouble of one more thing to accomplish or needing to settle in, we concluded that is more of our trouble than theirs.

However, most interesting was when the Sunday School took a field trip to the Gambills farm last Sunday afternoon.   You might recall the sheep dog was and has been the star of several of our videos, Pearl.  Last Sunday, we saw Pearl, and she did her work well.  Pearl was eager to work and move the sheep.  Pearl was accomplished and achieved her goals quickly.  Pearl worked with and listened to Judy well.  Except, Pearl wanted to keep working.  When the sheep had been brought, Judy would give her the command to lie down.  Pearl had a hard time listening to that command.  Even when she could listen well to the other commands, her desire to work almost overtook her ability to rest.

Her shepherd continued to invite and command her lie down.  It was the hardest command for her to master.   I understand Pearl.  The sheep who always want to rest, I have trouble relating to, but the sheepdog who works hard to care well for the sheep, I understand well.  We often have trouble resting because we feel as though our work in never done.   We imagine that we rest when everything is accomplished.  However, we have gotten it wrong. Resting is to repose in the certainty that God has it from here.   God’s vision of Sabbath has us rest not when it is all completed, but rather when time has passed.  Lying down requires an understanding that your needs are or will be met.

I imagine we have all known restless nights.  We have all known sleepless nights and pacing until morning. We have known our minds trying to solve problems.   We have nights in which we stayed up worried about whether a grown or teenage child would make it home.  We stayed up worried about how to solve all of the troubles at work.  We stayed up worried about a loved one who is ill: a loved one on hospice, a little one who is not breathing right, symptoms that seem to point to answers we do not yet have and worry deeply about.  We lay in our beds restless, worried about our grown children who do not have sustainable employment.  We worry about how will we make ends meet.  We worry about caring for our parents as they age.  We wonder and we worry.

Come to me all you who are weary and carry heavy burdens and I will give you rest. God will lighten our loads all those of us who are carrying too much, all of those who are so exhausted at the end of the day that we cannot even reflect on what happened today as opposed to yesterday.  Come to me, the Lord invites us.

Max Lucado in his book, Safe in the Shepherd’s Arms reminds us, “God is not behind us to telling us to go, but in front of us bidding us to come1.”  Lucado goes further to say that God is calling to us from each turn in the path.  God is urging us to rest from each moment of exhaustion.

Mark 6: 34 tells us that Jesus had compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. Pity and compassion are not the same things. Pity is what we conjured up from afar.  Isn’t it a pity to see that girl on the news who went missing?  Isn’t it a pity to hear there are refugees from Syria.  Pity, we remark on and have no intention of engaging.  Compassion means to suffer with.  Compassion is about being in the trenches alongside.  Compassion leads us to hold the hand of a dying soul or one who is struggling to live.

In the land of Palestine, it is arid and dry.  There is not a lot of water to go around.  Water requires planning and gathering.  It is easy to parch oneself.  It is for the shepherd and the sheep dog to care well for the sheep, so that they may remain hydrated.  Just like us.  How easy it is to go through the day and not pause until we feel a little dizzy or something is just not right, when we realize we have not paused to drink all day.  When we realized, we have not paused to be God’s presence, spend time with our family and friends, or taken care of ourselves, all day.  We parch ourselves.

He makes me to lie down in green pastures.  He leads me beside the still waters.  The two go together.  The grass has been a verdant green after the rain of the last couple of days.  Plush and verdant.  The kind of grass you want to lie down in and luxuriate.  Grass that has known the abundance of rainwater.  It is not like the grass we will see at the end of July when the rains are anticipated but have not yet come.  It is not like the grass that is hard to walk on bare foot and feels pointy.  It is a place we can rest.

To rest well, we need to remove that which causes anxiety.  Sheep cannot sleep with hawks circling around the young lambs.  Sheep cannot rest without basic needs met.  Sheepdogs do not rest unless that shepherd had it under control.  We cannot settle in unless we trust fully in God.  God invites us to put all of our plans and worries, wonderings or anxieties into God’s hands.

When we rest, we have more to give.  Our depth of patience and creativity increases.  All of us have experienced snapping at a loved one who did not deserve it, but came at the moment when it felt like we had nothing else to give.  Our depth of compassion and justice is renewed.

Sabbath intentionally cares for relationships and our bodies.  Sabbath cares for our minds and our hearts.  Sabbath is more than a rest from billable hours. Sabbath is a realignment with God. Sabbath reminds us that we can not and do not have to do it all. Restoring our souls means to make us fully who we were intended to be.  Nothing different.

For me, the one who loves the idea of Sabbath, but struggles with how to live it out.  I set aside every Friday for Sabbath.  I try to rest and listen to God’s invitation for restoration.  I use less devices and more hugging my children, spouse, and friends.  I nap more and let my shoulders drop.  And when I fail, I go to God again for forgiveness and redemption.

You and I have a shepherd who already know all of this.  A shepherd who calls our names knowing whether we were prefer to rest on a free afternoon to catch up on work. A shepherd who cares deeply for who we are and what we do.  A shepherd who loves us because we are, not because of what we do.  Rest in the space of a shepherd who cares for all of your needs – food, water, and companionship.  Rest in the love of our Savoir, for his burden is light – he has overcome the world.

This is the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, thanks be to God, Amen.

1 Safe in the Shepherd’s Arms, Max Lucado, 23.

Old Testament Lesson: Psalm 23: 2

He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;

Gospel Lesson: Matthew 11: 28-30

‘Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me;  for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your  souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’

Meditations For Your Week: Sunday, April 30 ~ Saturday, May 6

Sunday: “[God] makes me lie down in green pastures” Psalm 23: 2a.  When are you pausing?  Consider how God may invite you to take rest.

Monday:  “[God] leads me beside still waters” Psalm 23: 2b.  Still waters are secure places to drink and be refreshed.  Where are you satiated and refreshed?  Invite God to show you where you can turn to God for refreshment.

Tuesday:  “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens.” Matthew 11:28a.  God is gracious and compassionate. We, who carry the weight of the world and our burdens, can share those burdens with the God of us all.

Wednesday: “And I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28b.  Give thanks to God for moments of rest in this day, if you have them.  If you do not, take five minutes (even if it has to be in the bathroom) to ask God to show where rest will be.

Thursday: “My yoke upon you, and learn from me.” Matthew 11:29a.  A yoke is a shared experience.  It requires you walk with God.  Prayerfully submit to God’s yoke today and walk with God.

Friday: “For I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. “ Matthew 11:29b.  Where have you known God’s gentleness and humility?  Look there for invitations to rest.

Saturday: “For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’” Matthew 11: 30.  May God bless you on this day with insight into the burdens you are carrying alongside God.