The Nap-termath
My favorite story was about a man, who will go unnamed (you know who you are, dear friend), who decided to do some spiritual study on Sunday afternoon and then take a nap. He doesn’t normally nap. But, perhaps inspired by a recent sermon he heard from his preacher, he did. And he slept for a long time. So long, in fact, that after waking and going through the rest of his day, he couldn’t get himself to sleep again that night… his whole sleep rhythm had been thrown off. His Sabbath had utterly messed him up.
Making room for real, meaningful, soul-nourishing rest is hard work. Sabbath may take some getting used to…
Choosing to light a candle before a family meal and say an intentional prayer together may throw off our rhythm of what’s normal. Your teenager or spouse or sibling or parent may be rather hesitant or unreceptive at first. It may be hard to feel like you are really connecting with God or one another on a meaningful level because no one can get past how “awkward” this new thing is.
Stick with it.
Choosing to keep an afternoon free from your cell phone may create some anxiety at first (is my boss calling?!?)… stick with it.
Sabbath, even when it is tailored to your life and gifts, isn’t always convenient or cool… but it is consistent. And in that consistency there is a space that opens our hearts to one another and our soul to the infinite splendor of God.
New rhythms take time to grow and blossom.
Stick with it.