Sunday, January 30, 2011

Sabbath: The Divine Embrace

The Sabbath takes us and rocks us until we remember who we are. - Wayne Muller

Last week's Sabbath was a little different. It had been a difficult week of disappointments and lots on my mind so I don't think I entered Sabbath the same as the week before. In true "Sabbath" form, I stayed in my robe and house shoes All.Day.Long. But I kept asking Mike is that was ok, wanting to "look my best" for him to impress him or something. (And, the robe, no makeup, hair undone was not cutting it for my reassurrence.) The whole day was spent trying not to fret or worry or simply think. On to the week - this attitude carried over throughout the week too. Hmmm, this was definitely not Sabbath. Right?

Fast forward to this week. I entered Sabbath differently. I did not want a repeat of the last Sunday. And, I did not want a repeat of the week. So, I consciously tried to not worry and remind myself that Sabbath was about remembering and observing. And, breathing YHWH.

Mike preached on the prodigal son and God used that to tell me what he had been trying to tell me since last week. Sabbath is meant to be a remembering that we are sons and daughters Just.As.We.Are. It does not matter if my hair is not done, i'm still in my robe, I look like "3am" hit all day long. It is meant to be held in a divine embrace until we remember who we truly are.

Aww, breathe YHWH.

Accept the ring and clothing and feasts of the Father who runs to us. In an undignified, full-out run.

Accept the embrace of the Father. The kisses of the Father.

Do not say, "Let me be a servant and no longer your daughter."

Watch YHWH sprint to you.

And breathe in the embrace. The Divine Embrace.

The past two Sabbath's were certainly a gentle embrace. A reminder that I am ok just as I am. A reminder that I am ok just as I am to my husband who does not care what I look like (or don't look like, for that matter). A reminder that I am ok just as I am to an adorable two year old that just wants to run in the grass or dance and sing like noone in watching.

A reminder that I am ok just as I am on a Sabbath to, most importantly, the Breather of YHWH.

At the end of yesterday, as I was reflecting on the day with a glorious bubble bath and Sabbath candles, I asked Mike "Am I ok"? Essentially "Am I loved?"

His response?

"You are loved. Rest in that."

Perhaps, YHWH breathes the divine embrace through the words of the spouses He puts in our lives.

Perhaps, YWHW breathes the divine embrace through kisses from a snotty-nosed, curly-headed toddler.

Perhaps, these are gentle reminders of YHWH's Divine Embrace, His Breath.
(This is an old picture but it's one of my favorites!)


In. And. Out.

YH. WH.

1 comment:

The Reeds said...

I need to work on my sabbath. (That's ironic isn't it?)

and I need to work on my prayer...

And my outreach...

I guess life is a work in progress!

Maybe the important thing is to always keep desiring more isn't it?