The Holiness of Time - Midweek Lenten Sermon on Remembering Sabbath

Remembering Sabbath: A Lenten Invitation

The Holiness of Time

Midweek Lent

Good Shepherd, Wells, MN

March 23, 2022

Deuteronomy 5.12-5; Exodus 5.1, 4-5, 7-9; 18.14-17

Scott: Hey, Bob! Long time, no see. How are you doing?

Bob: Hey, Scott! Back atcha. Busy, busy, busy as always. A rolling stone gathers no moss. You stop moving and you’re dead.

Scott: Same old, same old, huh?

Bob: Yep. Logging extra hours at work; they can’t seem to get along without me. Of course, we are always on the run going to our grandkids’ swim meets, dance performances, birthday parties, and pre-school graduations.

Scott: Wow, you have a lot going on.

Bob: You know what they say, “Better to wear out than rust out.”

Scott: So I’ve heard. How are Judy’s folks doing?

Bob: They’re still in their own home, who knows for how long. So, we’re over there quite a bit helping out.

Scott: Are you still volunteering at church?

Bob: Of course, I’m on the church council and even president. They know that if they want to get anything done, ask a busy person. I’m that guy.

Scott: You know, it’s been a while since we’ve grabbed a cup of coffee. How about right now?

Bob: I’d love to, but I gotta run. No rest for the wicked. Text me or call me some time.

Scott: Ok.

Bob: See ya, good talking to you. Bye!

We’ve been snookered. We’ve bought into the myth that the busier we are the better. We think that the more we do, the more important we are, the more valuable we are, the more American we are, and even the more faithful we are. We have “little pharaohs” in our heads demanding “More, more, more,” from us. The Church is partially to blame. Do you know where the so-called Protestant Work Ethic came from? Reformed churches in the founding of our country believed that material blessings are a sign of God’s favor. So we work harder and harder to show that God has indeed blessed us. It becomes a vicious cycle.

This is the third in our Midweek Lenten Series on Remembering Sabbath. Tonight we accept the invitation to explore the Holiness of Time and reflect on the benefit of slowing down. Two weeks ago we heard how Remembering Sabbath is rooted in the creation story, that as people made in the image of God we are to rest and be refreshed as God has rested and is refreshed. Last week we contemplated what activities refresh our souls so that we can live the wholehearted life. We also want to remind ourselves that this isn’t shaming or guilt-producing. Rather, it’s an invitation to life.

In Exodus 18, Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, encourages Moses to get some help because Moses is burning out. Moses thinks he’s the only one who can handle the peoples’ problems. When Jethro advises Moses saying, “lest you wear yourself out,” it’s helpful to know that “wear yourself out” in the Hebrew is nabal which means “foolish.” Being so busy you wear yourself out is foolish. So, they come up with a plan that distributes the responsibility among all the Israelite tribes.

It’s not that we shouldn’t do the things we are doing because most of them are good things. Bob is doing bad things. And of course it is rewarding to live a full, productive life that is meaningful to us. Yet, the irony is that we are actually more productive when we remember to enter the rest of sabbath. If it helps, it is good to remember that we are human beings, not “doings.” We are more than producers and consumers. In other words, it’s okay to just be.

So, here are some questions for you to ponder tonight. How would your life be richer if you did it more inefficiently? What are the pharaohs in your head that are telling you to do more? Remember, God loves you no matter how much or how little you do. Amen.