During Lent we might consider if our weekly routines allow for rest, for real Sabbath. How we rest is important. How we rest also changes. For example, consider how we rest during the work week and how that differs from how we rest on the weekends. It’s a great idea to go to bed early during the week. I sometimes keep a log about how much sleep I’m getting. You might consider keeping sleep logs, just as some keep food logs.
There is a process that our brain goes through at night when it’s dark and our eyes close. Today’s Isaiah 58 reading includes “…if you call the Sabbath a delight…and the holy day of the Lord honorable…then you shall take delight in the Lord, and I will make you ride upon the heights of the earth…” The passage is about doing justice, not simply observing rituals, and it includes this talk about rest and mental health. Prayer is possible when there is stillness and quiet, along with just actions.
This is also true about daily routines. Cleaning my apartment or doing my laundry provide opportunities to pray. So also staying hydrated and taking good walks—healthy habits that speak to how we should pray and when we should pray.
When we pray, what are we asking God to do? I might sometime be asking for something specific. Or just as likely, if these routines are in place, it can be wonderful to sit and think about the glory of God. Consider Psalm 86: “For you are great, you do wondrous things, and you alone are God.” What a joy to sit and think about God and the heavens! About angels that watch over us!
Rest during Lent! Take time to sit and think!
Donna Welles
Links to the appointed readings for today:
