A book
that I have read, and one I am now re-reading in preparation for my sabbatical
leave, is Mark Buchanan’s The Rest of
God, Restoring Your Soul by Restoring Sabbath.
Sabbath,
according to Buchanan, is more than a day to be set aside and observed; it is
also an attitude. “It is a perspective,
an orientation. I mean a Sabbath heart,
not just a Sabbath day. A Sabbath heart
is restful even in the midst of unrest and upheaval. It is attentive to the presence of God and
others even in the welter of much comings and going, rising and falling. It is still and knows God even when the
mountains fall into the sea.” (p4)
Later
in the book Buchanan writes about the importance of listening - stopping to
hear from God. The Sabbath day (whether
Sunday or some other day) and the Sabbath heart should be an opportunity, a
place for stillness and quietness, where the voice of God is welcomed and
heard.
Pray
that God would give you the desire and discipline needed to shut out the noise
that makes you deaf to his voice – unable to hear his Word. Pray that you would desire the Sabbath heart that
listens deeply, that pays close attention to His voice.
“...Sabbath
is when we stop. We slow down. We play, we rest, we dream, we wonder. We cease from that which is necessary and
turn to that which gives life. And in
the hush that descends, we listen. Are
you listening?” (The Rest of God, p. 188)
This
week one of our Elders sent me the following from Table Talk Magazine. Prayerfully consider this as you prepare for worship
this Sunday.
How do wise people enter into the Lord's
presence? The answer is that they enter
with few words and with an eagerness to listen.
In worship, we are to express our praise to God verbally (Pss. 9:11;
30:4). However, if there is not time
devoted to hearing from God, then we have not truly offered up worship that is
pleasing to our Creator. While we are
not to come before the Almighty as spectators who are seeking entertainment, we are to seek a word from Him upon which we
will actively meditate and which we will apply to our lives. As Scripture explains, this is a listening to
the very Word of God itself. Much of our
services should consist in the reading of the Scriptures and the preaching and
teaching of these oracles of the Lord (Neh. 8:1-8; 1Tim.4:13). For the
congregation, this consists mainly of silent hearing that nevertheless demands
the active engagement of our hearts and minds. Part of loving the Lord with our hearts and
our minds involves paying close attention to His words for us (Matt. 22:37). Matthew Henry gives counsel regarding our
duties in worship, particularly as we sit under the ministry of the Word:
"We must diligently attend to the word of God read and preached," and
"we must resolve to comply with the will of God as it is made known to
us."
The text for this week’s sermon will be Hebrews
4. I encourage you to read this passage
as you prepare to gather with your church family this Sunday. I look forward to seeing you there.
This week we will sing a new song (new for us) that speaks
about the rest we have in God. The
lyrics are based on Psalm 62. I encourage you to read the text if Scripture
as you listen to Psalm 62.
My soul finds rest in God alone,
My rock and my salvation;
A fortress strong against my foes,
and I will not be shaken.
Though lips may bless and hearts may curse,
and lies like arrows pierce
me;
I'll fix my heart on righteousness,
I'll look to Him who hears me.
(And) O praise Him hallelujah,
My Delight and my Reward;
Everlasting never failing,
My Redeemer my God.
Find rest my soul in God alone
amid the world's temptations;
When evil seeks to take a hold
I'll cling to my salvation.
Though riches come and riches go
don't set your heart upon them;
The fields of hope in which I sow
are harvested in heaven.
I'll set my gaze on God alone,
and trust in Him completely;
With ev'ry day pour out my soul
and He will prove His mercy;
Though life is but a fleeting breath,
a sigh too deep to measure;
My King has crushed the curse of death,
and I am His forever.
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