Sabbath

On this day of the week, I hear so many say 'Happy Sabbath.'

I myself say it a lot. At Friday sundown, on Sabbath morning, at potluck time. I say it with a smile and a handshake. Perhaps I tweet or Facebook something about it. Or upload an Instagram photo and hashtag happy sabbath.

But I had a thought last week, just a very simple thought. Am I living these days as if it were truly a happy sabbath? Is my behavior in harmony with what I wish and speak to my church community?

Happy is simple. It reminds me of Matthew 5. It reminds me of the beatitudes and the joy that is found in abiding in the Lord according to John 15. Happy is the man who abides, obeys, and trusts the Lord.

So my question for the happy in 'happy Sabbath' is did my week fall in harmony with the Lord? Did I abide, obey, trust? Did my week agree with the beatitudes? Did my week agree with what the Scriptures say brings happiness to man? If so, then I can be sure that my Sabbath will have the happy element.

The Sabbath part is not complicated either. Let me just share this break down of the old Hebrew word.

We could go in all sorts of different direction with the Sabbath portion, but let's keep it simple and allow the Spirit to guide.

On the day of ceasing and desisting and resting and stopping, I have to ask myself if I really am stopping. When I say 'Happy Sabbath,' am I behaving in a way that says: whatever my secular pursuits are, whatever my normal train of thinking is, whatever stress and anxiety about the future, whatever things that might impede my ability to fully rest, fully cease, and allow the time to be spent in worshipping God, I will desist from such thoughts and activities and feelings.

Is that the sabbath I am experiencing when I say 'Happy Sabbath?'

So that was my thought. A simple thought. Rather than just say happy Sabbath, do happy Sabbath.

These are the summarized portions: Was my week spent abiding in the Lord so that happiness is reaped as a fruit to be tasted on this seventh-day? Am I allowing myself to taste the fruit of worship by ceasing and desisting and resting and stopping whatever might cripple my ability to reach out and grab the fruit?

If yes to both, then happy Sabbath indeed, my brother and sister.

No rest

There is no rest for the gossiper. There is no sleep for the unfaithful pastor.

There is no peace for the fanatic.

No strength can be found in a segregated church.

What silence can the bitter stand?

There is no comfort for the matriarch.

There is no satisfying the church member who wants up.

There is no security for the legalist.

No meaning can be found in doubting everything.

What scrutiny can the people with God's name endure?

A celebration, why not?

On this Valentine’s day, a common time yet an uncommon emphasis.

We need more romance songs not ending in a scene of fornication.

I only wish I could help ghostwrite some.

Sadly, my music gene decided to never express itself.

Never, in the Hebrew sense, for I trust in the age to come, voices will ring and mine will be among them.

And on that day, perhaps my celebration of love will be fuller, not just limited to words.

You know, traveling with two married couples as part of Songs of Ascent, I thought I would be uncomfortable or awkward being the fifth wheel. However, this has not been the case. I watch cute idiosyncrasies of their romantic story, I watch the way they smile in pride, I watch the familiarity and peace, I watch and I rejoice. My heart is made glad, I am overwhelmed with excitement to see true love, the kind Corinthians 13 describes, in action.  And yes, perhaps it is unfortunate to have no one to share a meal with when we hit up a restaurant, but oh how fortunate it is to dwell in the sacredness of matrimony.

So many people rag on Valentine’s day. I see no honor in that.

It is an easy target, a large center with a soft underbelly.

May be we should seek to rejoice and celebrate love, to hold it up in awe and reverence.

Solomon wrote a song about it and God liked it enough to canonize it. Let us celebrate those who have done it right, those who are seeking to do it right, those whose marriages and romantic stories reflect the Bride and the oh-so-dashing Groom.

In a world full of affairs, adultery, incest, pedophilia, rape, and fornication, we need more  celebration of other-centered love.

Yes, it is just another common day, but why not seize it for an uncommon emphasis?

Black History Month and beginnings

I read about Black History month and I become confused, confused by what is emphasized and where the stories begin. I find it interesting where the story of the African-American begins usually begins.

It begins in chains when it should begin in African glory.

I watched a lecture series by Rob Bell where he said we need to tell the story beginning at the beginning. Not starting with the sin-sick fallen man, but the harmonious whorl of Genesis one.

It begins in shalom, not in rebellion.

I think the beginning is eternity past when the Father, Son, Holy Spirit danced and delighted in each other's presence. Eternal friendship. I think the beginning begins with the sons of God singing for joy as worlds began.

It begins in cosmic joy and a universal reign of love, not in a stage for good and evil.

And one day, our groans will be no more.

Our chains will fall and our former glory will be restored.

If pornography was...

If pornography was actually beneficial and instructional, it would look quite different. If pornography taught rightly, it would mostly follow a married couple throughout its day.

Or if it wanted to be really risqué, it would begin a series with a single man somewhere and a single woman elsewhere.

Both learning humility, service, worship, and laying aside selfishness.

Then it would introduce the courtship of a young man and a young woman, studying each other’s character in every day life.

Agonizing in prayer, study, and counsel to the cost and be certain of the risk.

If pornography really taught us how to have good sex it would spend a lot of attention in the small duties of life leading up to sex.

It would show a man who respected his wife and did the dishes for her. Who did not forget her because of his career.

It would show a woman who loved her husband and delighted to be with her best friend. Who held no record of wrongs.

If pornography was actually beneficial and instructional, it would look quite different.

If pornography taught rightly, it would show a husband and wife serving one another and walking humbly before God.

Or if it wanted to be really risqué, it would show a couple who valued spiritual well-being above wealth and the American dream.

It would show a couple who goes out to dinner and hold conversations, hold hands, and look like they’re still dating.

Or it would show a woman smiling because she’s secure and wanted and she knows it.

A man who is admired and supported walking confidently about the home.

There would be no disputes over Wall posts and texts.

If pornography really taught us how to have good sex, it would embrace the spiritual, emotional, physical, intellectual, sacredness of it all.

If pornography was actually beneficial and instructional, it would look very different.

It would end with a happy couple in a bedroom having finished relating their day’s events and an evening devotional, turning to one another to make sure they both have the energy for it.

And there would be many films were the husband would be too taxed and he would admit it.

And there would be many films were the wife was too spent and the husband would be gracious still.

And there would be many films were the two would smile with a child-like grin and say, yes.

If pornography taught rightly though, the film would darken and end before anything was seen not because there’s any shame in what they do, but because the art of sexual expression is an act of worship no couple would ever want to share with anyone, but God.