Sabbathing in Israel.

Since there will be a lot of abstract, emotiony, storyish things in the coming posts (as if that isn't already the norm), please allow me to take this moment to say something explanatory and concrete: 

I'm going to Israel. 

Again. 

Instead of posting to social media, I want to take the opportunity to reflect in this space. One of the many things I love about Israel is that I cannot talk about it without testifying to the goodness of the Lord and His relentless, pursuing love. Because the last time I visited Israel in 2009, I was walking in darkness, utterly without hope, and apart from God. 

I don't fully know what this reflection will look like yet, or even how much access to wifi or excess time I'll have to create|upload while in-country; but I am excited.  

I am excited to remember. 

^That^ is a scary statement to my heart. Excitement and remembrance don't mesh like pb&j in me very often. But mostly that's because of my pride. And that little bud (of flesh-eating parasites) feels like it has already taken quite the pruning (with no less than dull shears) this week.

A couple of months ago, my pastor was teaching on parenting from Deuteronomy; and not only was the content nourishing and infused with gospel-perspective, but I discovered something in the Scriptures about Sabbathing that has been transforming my perspective on the Lord of Sabbath. 

Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter or your male servant or your female servant or your ox or your donkey or any of your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you, so that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you.
You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, 
and the LORD your God brought you out of there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; 
therefore the LORD your God commanded you to observe the sabbath day. 

Deuteronomy 5:13-15

OK, so God makes it pretty clear that noooooobody is supposed to work on this day (minus the wife, apparently...just kidding). But what exactly are we and our farm animals supposed to do in that 24 hr period?!?

Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt and 

that the LORD your God brought you out of there 

by His mighty hand and outstretched arm 

This is the only affirmative command given for the sabbath day (since not working would be an omitting command). 

When I first laid eyes on the clear truth of this passage, the notion of Sabbath as a day for ignorant, after-potluck siestas honestly sounded more appealing (and despite what they told me when I was young, I'm still not a fan of naps). My heart sunk with flashbacks of college, all the failed attempts to fit my work into 6 days or blatantly giving in and desecrating the sabbath and my conscience. 

(Don't worry, I'm not saying that students who do homework on Sundays are sinful heathens in need of repentance! I believe the Holy Spirit was calling me to actively rest and trust;and my faith or at least its growth was injured by ignoring the pull to pray with God about Sabbathing and allow Him to change my lifestyle during college.)

Another thing: remembering slavery just doesn't sound like fun. 

But we can all get behind a good rescue story. 

Sometimes reflection about when I was a slave to sin and death (Romans 8:2-3) tempts my heart towards sadness (at best) or masochistic self-condemnation (at worst). 

That's a mouthful, but what it comes down to is that when I reflect on the evil of my heart I am tempted to only see human failures,mine or someone else's (but mostly mine). However, the command to remember slavery in Deuteronomy 5 is not intended to sit there tarred and feathered for the whole day, much less end there. 

Remember God. 

Remember that He saved you, and how He saved you. 

Remember His mighty hand, His outstretched arm. 

There are so many reasons for the Sabbath, but this one just unravels me like so much thick yarn. Because most of the time when my week is derailed, or my mind and heart is overwhelmed by the things of this earth, the magnitude of my To Do list, or the lies sniper-targetting my insecurities or temptations or circumstances...it's because I have forgotten to keep the Lord before me. 

I forget that He moves mountains. 

I forget that He is sovereignly in control of every second. 

I forget that He lights darkness, and gives understanding. 

I forget that He has given His life out of His love, so that His faith can be manifested. 

I forget that faith overcomes this world. 

Now while the fact of my forgetting could feed the machine of lies about why I'm a bad Christian (slave of Christ) etc. etc., it's human to forget and slip and drift away from truth. That's why Jesus said His disciples are the ones who continue in His words. 

If we spend our time chasing the list of our awfulness, we will always end up at our lawlessness which only has judgmental things to say and nothing capable of transforming us.  That is why our gracious God commands us to Sabbath: for our good. Not just for our bodies, or to have mental rest (both of which are valid needs); but because our very life depends on remembering who He is. 

Because of that I am speechlessly excited to reenter the Holy Land as a native of the promises of God, through His grace. I am tingling with memories, and anticipating how my God has already redeemed them, even as I hyperventilate a little. 

Last time I only had knowledge of evil. 

He has given me knowledge of good. 

Last time the only fruit I cared for was self-fulfilling. 

He has given me the opportunity to abide in Him and bear good fruit. 

Last time I stood in the gardens and felt in the very atoms of my being that I should be kicked out. 

He has called out for me "where are you?" and invited me to walk with Him, and talk with Him in the garden of His presence.  

Today in this last Sabbath before Israel, as I pack, and remember, and count the less-than-42 hours between me and the beginning of this journey, I remember the Lord of Sabbath and revel that He has brought me home.