02-27-26

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
February 27, 2026
The workweek is coming to a conclusion, though as I say that, I know that more and more people are not Monday - Friday people, at least when it comes to work (or volunteer). In fact, some people might find the weekend to be more stressful and demanding because of family obligations or a commitment to a local nonprofit. The scriptures speak about Sabbath, and how we are to honor the Sabbath. In fact, the first example of the 10 Commandments, found in Exodus 20, offers the fourth Commandment as:

Remember the Sabbath day and treat it as holy. Six days you may work and do all your tasks, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. Do not do any work on it—not you, your sons or daughters, your male or female servants, your animals, or the immigrant who is living with you. Because the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and everything that is in them in six days, but rested on the seventh day. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy (20:8-11).

Not only do we get the command, but an explanation of why. It might be argued that we have to do it because God did it, but I tend to think of it in terms of sharing in a ritual that both reminds and reinforces the greater story. There is also a leveling of the traditional hierarchy, as Sabbath is to extend to all living creatures, and among humans, it includes the foreigner who is living among us. As I read this far-reaching command, it appears to imply that everyone (and all creatures) is required to take Sabbath as a reflection of the God who also took Sabbath.

This Sunday, whether you consider it your Sabbath or not, we will ponder the scripture that includes the words “Be still before the Lord…” May we all, in a moment of stillness before the Lord, connect anew to the often overlooked part of the 10 Commandments—to practice Sabbath as a defiant act against a culture that wishes to narrowly define who is worthy of carrying the divine image. 

As I find a little rest in your presence, Holy God, I pray for an even greater appreciation of your image reflected in every breathing creature. It is not always easy, yet my defiance is a celebration of your breathtaking and limitless love. Thank you! Amen.