February 7, 2024 — Sabbath as a Spiritual Discipline

When we hear someone talk about Sabbath, we tend to think of a weekend worship service. The day of the Sabbath can be Saturday, or Sunday – where we attend worship offering up our prayers, praise and thanksgiving to G-d. But the act of Sabbath is something different and can be done on any day.

In Jesus’ time, the Jewish religious leaders made the seventh day of rest unrecognizable from what G-d intended. Following what they THOUGHT was the example of the prophet Nehemiah, they decided how far a person could walk, the weight they could carry, and even whether or not they could be HEALED on the Sabbath. Jesus’ approach to the Sabbath, however, was based on common sense. He and the disciples usually totally ignored the unbiblical traditions of the Jews regarding the Sabbath because Jesus felt they were missing what was at the heart of Sabbath, and who was Lord of the Sabbath. As Jesus said, “The Sabbath was meant for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27); or as Matthew Henry said “God never designed it to be a burden to us, therefore we must not make it so to ourselves.”

When we are to remember the Sabbath, as G-d inscribed as the third commandment (yes in some denominations it is the fourth commandment), it can be a reminder to worship G-d – and it can be a reminder to find some holy time and space in your day and do nothing but reflect on your relationship with G-d – not to add more rules and regulations to it, but to use it for your benefit.

During Lent, we should be finding time to reflect on our relationship with G-d, and in that regard, it should be more than just a Sunday affair. Taking a Sabbath can happen any day of the week, any day and time we can carve out for quiet, rest and reflection.

Pastor Dave

February 6, 2024 — Solitude as a Spiritual Discipline

Solitude would best be defined as refraining from interacting with other people in order to be alone – especially to be alone with G-d. One must assume that Solitude is completed by silence – but I do not believe that this always has to be the case. The obvious way to find solitude would be to find a remote place where one can commune with nature and with G-d. I was listening to a story on the radio the other day, and they were talking to people about the places they go to find solitude. Some go hiking in remote areas or go for walks in the woods. Others go to more extreme conditions like trying to row a boat across the Atlantic Ocean or walk on skis to the North Pole and back.

How do you find solitude in your life?

I can find solitude by simply going to a local coffee shop and taking time to write. This to me is solitude – I do not have to answer my phone if I choose not to – I do not have to talk to anyone if I choose not to. For me, solitude does not mean remoteness or complete silence – for me solitude means time alone no matter where that might be. The point of solitude is how you use that time.

Throughout the season of Lent, we may have purposeful moments of silence in worship – either on Wednesday nights or Sunday mornings. No matter the time or place, we all need to find some solitude in our lives – and to use that time for quiet and reflection. It is important to do what we can to have time alone with G-d.

Pastor Dave