The Life You’ve Always Wanted.
Week #2: Slowing Down & Celebrating.
Spiritual disciplines for ordinary people.
The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.
[Jesus said] “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
Remember the Sabbath…
There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall…
Mark 6:30-32
Matthew 11:28-30
Exodus 20:8
Hebrews 4:9-11
Wayne Muller writes, “The ancient Hebrew tradition of Sabbath created an oasis of sacred time within a life of unceasing labour … Sabbath time is time when we allow the essential goodness of creation to nourish our souls… To ‘Remember the Sabbath’ means to remember that everything you have received is a blessing. Remember to delight in your life, in the fruits of your labour. Remember to stop and offer thanks for the wonder of it.”
Why do you think it’s important to intentionally take time to savour the goodness of creation, to practice gratitude, to delight in life?
What forms of celebration and joy can help us do this? Do you have your own ideas or practices to share with the group?
What forms of Sabbath, celebration, and joy are you determined to do more of in the coming days and weeks?
Pray for one another.
Take time to pray together (in pairs or small groups) for each other, in response to the above.
