Today’s Verse: Matthew 11:28-30 (Msg)
“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.”
One of the definitions of Sabbath is “A time of rest” Sometimes, in our busy world, it is hard to find rest. When I was young, Sundays were our “down” time. We went to church, came home for lunch, read the comics. Now our Sundays are full of sports, shopping, work and tasks to prepare for the coming week, just like every other day.
One easy way to find a little rest is a daily practice called “one minute Sabbath”. It is very simple, takes just one minute, and can be done anywhere. You can choose what you want to do during this minute. You can pray, you can lift up a memorized Bible verse, you can focus on a chant or song. What you do during this minute is totally up to you. This one minute is a time for you to rest with the Spirit. A time, as it says in the above verse, to get away with Jesus and recover your life.
For me, a favorite is to close my eyes, breath in deeply. Exhale deeply. I focus on my breathing, and I silently repeat “Lord walk with me:, or Christ have mercy.” I do this for just one minute, and when the time is over, I feel more centered. I feel grounded and focused. Most importantly I experience a little peace.
I try to do this every time I change a task, before I make a phone call, or when I get into the car, or before a meeting.
On this Good Friday, I encourage you to rest just 1 minute at a time, breathe deeply and thank Christ for his great love and his sacrifice. Visualize Christ in all his glory, and rest.
Peace,