Reflections from Rest
Return, O my soul, to your rest; for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.
Psalm 116:7
Like a trans-Atlantic flight approaching its destination, I am on a slow and steady descent from the heights of sabbatical. As wonderful as this rest has been, it will be good to return to my normal rhythms, routines, and responsibilities. I love Christ Church and have missed preaching and worshipping in our community; our life together is a good one.
On this descent, I am taking time to reflect on the matters that occupied my heart and mind during sabbatical. This will take several posts; I can’t promise to be economical or tidy. Sabbatical has been an awesome experience that has infused me with life and energy. So, let me begin with five thoughts.
First, I didn’t realize how fatigued I was until seven or eight weeks into sabbatical. It took longer than I expected to decompress. Given this, I am filled with gratitude for our officers, staff, and congregation who graciously allowed us to enjoy this lengthy season away from my normal responsibilities. It was restorative for us as a family and for me personally in my communion with God.
Second, I am grateful for the rich church history we were able to explore. Through towering cathedrals, head stones, monuments, and ordinary sanctuaries, we walked into the past to learn about God’s mighty works of old. However, in doing so, we were not merely acquiring knowledge about what God accomplished then and there. No, we were learning about the steadfast and faithful God who continues to attend to his church here and now. As Hebrews 13:8 reminds us, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Church history has a distinctly theological purpose that frequently gets lost in the dates and details—it is to remind us of his gracious ways with the church in Jesus and to induce us to trust him in the present! I was enriched in any number of ways to do so.
Third, I am thankful for the beauty we witnessed as we explored Europe, particularly Switzerland. The riches of God reflected in the mirror of creation elude description. It was too much to absorb on certain days; however, I tried my best to delight in it and allow his works to direct me to him. In the modern world, it is easy to lose a sense of wonder with God’s works in creation. It saddens me to think of all that I am deaf too because I’m too distracted to receive what God has for me in the works of his hands.
Fourth, I am thankful for extended time to meditate and reflect on Scripture. I began Sabbatical by choosing one book of the Bible to read each week. Then, I ended with a long, slow—very slow—tour of the Psalms. I am always amazed by how the Spirit illumines new things here and there in Scripture, teaching me about himself, his works, and myself.
Finally, I am grateful for a skilled counselor who poked and prodded to identify the bruised parts of my own soul. Twenty years of ministry have brought me into close contact with the dignity and depravity of human beings. It’s also brought me face to face with my own. I am thankful that sabbatical afforded me the margins to dive into these areas a bit more, turning over issues that needed attention. It was exhausting on days, but God is gracious and merciful.