Sunday, April 9, 2023
Easter Sunday
I guess I haven’t learned that yet
by Shauna Niequist, Author
Devotional by Pastor Carrie Baylis
Sabbath doesn’t always come easy
 
As I got nearer to finishing this lovely book I was beginning to understand that just because we have always known something one way, doesn’t mean it’s the only way.  On this day of resurrection I’m sure that the disciples and Mary had only seen death and the tomb one way before this day.  But it was not the way that would change the world forever.  What they would find on the third day is that the tomb is empty.  While they rested in the quiet sadness of Good Friday and Holy Saturday, they were met with fear, excitement, concern, and eventually joy when they were met with an empty tomb.  We each have to find a way to our own empty tomb experience, to the joy in something new, in finding rest and refreshment in new ways that speak to each of us filling us up with the restorative grace and mercy of God. I hope this Lenten season has opened you up to discovering new ways of rest and to delight in a sabbath that leaves you with joy for what it next to come in this journey with God.

Prayer: Alleluia, he is Risen!  We pray for Christ who has come for each of us, to forgive us, renew us, and lead us.  Let us meet him in ways that bring us joy, love, and renewal in and of our faith.  Let us rest easy knowing that he will always come to us. He is Risen indeed! Alleluia and Amen.

Saturday, April 8, 2023
Holy Saturday
Devotional by Pastor Carrie Baylis

“So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering…  Don’t burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don’t quit in hard times; pray all the harder.” -Romans 12: 1, 11-12

Again, in the Niequist Present over Perfect book, she points us towards scripture that can lead us to new ways of experiencing a “holy and beautiful life”.  What has it taken for you in this season of Lent to be open to new ways of rest and refreshment, new perspectives, and maybe even practices that bring you closer to God and more present with those most important to you?  If we always operated from a place of holiness and beauty, might we move ourselves closer to God and be wiser in the things that we would let stand in the way?

On this Holy Saturday I hope you find rest in whatever way best soothes your soul.  It might not be the traditional ways that we view rest, it might be any of the spiritual practices you have grown to love, it might be lunch with a friend, and it might not come easy.  But know that God is with you, and as the scripture tells us “Don’t quit in hard times; pray all the harder.”
Holy Saturday
Devotional by Pastor Carrie Baylis

“So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering…  Don’t burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don’t quit in hard times; pray all the harder.” -Romans 12: 1, 11-12

Again, in the Niequist Present over Perfect book, she points us towards scripture that can lead us to new ways of experiencing a “holy and beautiful life”.  What has it taken for you in this season of Lent to be open to new ways of rest and refreshment, new perspectives, and maybe even practices that bring you closer to God and more present with those most important to you?  If we always operated from a place of holiness and beauty, might we move ourselves closer to God and be wiser in the things that we would let stand in the way?

On this Holy Saturday I hope you find rest in whatever way best soothes your soul.  It might not be the traditional ways that we view rest, it might be any of the spiritual practices you have grown to love, it might be lunch with a friend, and it might not come easy.  But know that God is with you, and as the scripture tells us “Don’t quit in hard times; pray all the harder.”

Prayer: God who is with us in the chaos and in the silence, help us to be still this day and to see you at work among us allowing us to rest in your presence.  We come before you today, awaiting the promise and hope of the resurrection. The alleluia awaits.  Amen.

Friday, April 7, 2023
Good Friday
Devotional by Pastor Carrie Baylis

Throughout Lent I’ve been leading the Sunday morning adult forum using another book by Shauna Niequest titled Present over Perfect.  I’ve learned a lot about the busyness and the hustle that so easily take over life when we’re always seeking more and saying yes to all the things.  The question that comes with that is why do we do it and what are we seeking?  Are we looking for affirmation or needing to be needed?  She invites us into the understanding that for every ‘”yes” we have, it also comes with a “no”.  What are you saying yes to in your life that is creating a “no” to the truly important things in your life?  When we say yes to meeting (our perception) of the needs of others, how might we be denying our own needs or those of the people most important to us?

How might our lives look different if we lived a quieter being that allowed us to say yes to the things we were most gifted to do and brought us closer to God?  In this book Shauna invites us to read Job 37: 2-13 and to listen to how God calls us to live a life of purpose as he intended for us.  I’m especially fond of verses 4-7: 
“ When his voice resounds,
    he holds nothing back.
 God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways;
    he does great things beyond our understanding.
He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’
    and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’
So that everyone he has made may know his work,
    he stops all people from their labor.”

I love how these verses note that God has assigned creation to singular tasks so that our only obligation is to say yes to what God has created us to do, and then to rest in his work.  The only job of the snow is to fall on the earth, the only job of the rain is to be a mighty downpour and when we can understand and identify our singular task or purpose, we can say “yes” and then rest in his creation.

Prayer: God of all creation, you invite us to say yes to you and no to the chaos that pulls us from all that matters.  Let us be open to your calling, calm in the midst of the hustle, and brave enough to say yes to you and no to the things that are not ours to do.  Amen.

Thursday, April 6, 2023
Maundy Thursday
I guess I haven’t learned that yet
by Shauna Niequist, Author
Devotional by Pastor Carrie Baylis

“It’s easy to want everything we do to be productive or valuable in an immediate way—”

In #34 we hear a story about our author learning to paint.  She was given a task to do something creative that wasn’t her usual genre of writing.  The idea of doing this was that it would be completely un-useful.  

I love the idea that we don’t need to have purpose or usefulness for everything we do.  Sometimes we just get to enjoy things for what they are and what experience they bring us, not because they are meeting a need.  Sabbath rest of course is supposed to have purpose, to connect with God, to develop a way that we can rest in Him and be renewed for what is yet to come.  The value of doing something that isn’t outwardly productive is the opportunity it gives us to slow ourselves down into a place that we can perhaps get comfortable without the constant doing or hustle.  That we can just simply be, let ourselves drift into the conscious presence of God who comes alongside of us when we are open to receiving it.  I hope that we can find our greatest sabbath rest when we can empty ourselves of the notion that we only have value when we are productive, trusting that God holds each of us with great value by simply being children of the heavenly Father.

Prayer: Come Lord Jesus, we pray that we can slow down enough to see your presence among us and rest in it, and that we come away from sabbath rest with a sense of renewed purpose in delighting you and living as you have called. Amen.

Wednesday, April 5, 2023
I guess I haven’t learned that yet
by Shauna Niequist, Author
Devotional by Pastor Carrie Baylis

“What’s happening inside of me? What’s happening around me? What might I need to learn or unlearn or face right now? Am I offering deep kindness and forgiveness toward myself, deep kindness and forgiveness for others? Am I tending lovingly to myself and others? What do I need to walk away from or walk toward? What requires my participation or voice?”

In #32 Shauna describes the story of winter turning to spring and how the transition seems to take so long.  Like most transitions it comes with work for us to do, to be ready for it. She speaks of waking up and feeling unfeelable feelings and thinking the unthinkable thoughts, then offering forgiveness and then making space for what she desires to come from the day.  It seems to me that if we could follow this routine each morning upon rising, we could make space for all of the new things to enter into our lives each day.  In the quote above she takes an introspective look at how life comes at her and what she can take from it each day.  I wonder if in each of the questions she asks we might find our way to rest in the answers; both in what the answers tell us and in what the answers free us to give up or away.  To fully enter into sabbath rest I know that for some of us we have to leave nothing on the table, and that is okay.  I encourage you to look at the questions at the beginning and see how you can work through them to free yourself for the time you need for restoration and rest.

Prayer: God of all seasons, you give us death and new life again through all the seasons and transitions of life in this world.  Let us look at the ways that we might live into the transitions and seasons of our own life to leave behind that which is wilting and spring to new life with all that gives us restoration and rest. Amen.

Tuesday, April 4, 2023
I guess I haven’t learned that yet
by Shauna Niequist, Author
Devotional by Pastor Carrie Baylis

“Learning to choose myself instead of giving the best of myself to people and relationships and institutions.  It’s our responsibility to create a rhythm for my life that nurtures me, that brings me joy, that allows me to flourish.  Learning to put ourselves in the path of joy and beauty.  Make our lives small and simple.  Doing what fills us and refreshes us.  Taking the time to discover what that is and then embracing it.”

In #22 Shauna takes some time to discuss what it looks like to put yourself on the path to receiving good things.  Each day we have the opportunity to wake up and start a new day. We get to choose how we are going to live that day, how we are going to respond to the people around us, and what we are going to contribute to the world. God has given us this gift of being created in His image which means that we get to participate in all that he has given us without having to do more than we can handle or trying to earn what he has already given us. We get to rest in the simple gifts and in the big and small joys that surround us every day. We get to choose living in ways that feed our soul and let us put our faith into action in the world. For some of us, we might find ourselves resting in the joy of unexpected simple pleasures of this world. I think that’s why God put the beauty of creation out for all of us to see to rest in the warmth of the sun, delight in the shimmering of the seas and take Sabbath as our days come to a close.

Prayer: God of all creation we are enamored by the beauty and simple joys of this world.  Let us find rest in all the small acts of joy and moments of delight we can find each day.  Amen.

Monday, April 3, 2023
I guess I haven’t learned that yet
by Shauna Niequist, Author
Devotional by Pastor Carrie Baylis

The spiritual significance of walking…a pilgrimage, walking the steps of Jesus, our spiritual walk, the journey alongside someone else. “Maybe walking is the speed of the soul, the exact right pacing for our bodies and spirits and hearts and minds to reconnect, to dwell together again. The soul doesn’t thrive in absolute stillness because of what the body holds that needs to be worked out—that grief, that anger.”

So many of the stories of Holy Week include walking.  The walking that was being done then was with purpose; it had a destination and was to be the end of a journey for a man who had been claimed as the savior.  It probably wasn’t very restful walking, but surely had to be thoughtful, with sights, sounds, smells, crowds and even a solo walk through the darkness to pray.  I think our lives are like that a lot. We are surrounded by all of those things that keep us distracted from the work of the soul and we never learn to lean into the practices that actually work for us in resting with God.  So, in this essay (#20) Shauna helps us to understand our walk.  How do we come alongside Jesus to walk through our lives with intention and purpose, leaning into what it looks like to take a long walk with someone you love.  Walking is one way that some of us can carve out the things that aren’t feeding our soul, we can walk out frustrations and worries, clear our minds of what bogs us down and open ourselves to what might be around the next corner that will fill our soul. 

I think this speaks to me because it’s another restful and meditative practice that actually gets us moving, doesn’t have to be done alone and is restorative in so many ways.  When we walk, we can see the world around us, but still focus on each step, one at a time and guide them to ways and places that can bring sabbath and soul together.

Prayer: God, we pray for an openness to recognize you coming alongside of us in our journey each day.  We know that you guide our path and that it leads us to all that is good.  Give us rest in the journey and new ways to discover our life with you. Amen.

Sunday, April 2, 2023
I guess I haven’t learned that yet
by Shauna Niequist, Author
Devotional by Pastor Carrie Baylis
 
I chose this book largely because I identify with the writing of Shauna Niequist and believe that others might, too.  This is the newest book that she has written, and it comes after she experienced lots of life changes, many of which weren’t expected or particularly welcome. The book is written more as a collection of short essays that speak to the different ways Shauna has learned to navigate the unexpected, losses, grief, new relationships and communities, and how to nurture herself in a world that keeps moving around us and challenging us. She shows us that the ways we experience life and all it offers are different and how we find rest and refreshment within that are also different.  I hope this Lenten journey opens up for you the space to say, “I guess I haven’t learned that yet…” and then to explore the possibilities of what time with God and for God looks like in your life.

Seeking beauty as an act of prayer. Reveling in it. Take a few deep breaths somewhere beautiful. Many years ago, when I was leaving our Good Friday Tenebrae service, I looked towards the mountains and they were glowing the most beautiful, deepest shade of cobalt blue I had ever seen, with just a faint glow or outline of the mountain showing as the sun further disappeared in the west.  I remember that Holy Week as being pretty frantic up until that point, which is often the case for pastors.  I called up a pastor friend I had been talking with earlier in the day and shared with him this delight that I had caught on my way out.  When I had spoken with him earlier, I had mentioned that quiet and contemplative was not my gift, that I was struggling with what I thought was expected of me to be able to delight, rest and pray in, with and to God.  He offered to me in that moment that my own delight in the beauty of creation, that having my breath taken away by the splendor before me was indeed prayerful.  That in that moment I was resting with something that was far beyond anything I would create and was just a moment for God and me to connect in the beauty and wonder of something bigger than I.

In this book Shauna talks often about all of the ways that God seeks us, and the ways that we can capture that.  Sometimes it’s taking the long way because it’s beautiful, because it’s sensory, because it reminds us of something good.  All of these are a nod to the ways that we can relax and settle into God who has given it all for you.  What I’m learning here is that rest and prayer and disciplines can look like a lot of different things, and it’s going to be varied for most of us.  So, for today I will find rest in the beauty of God.

Prayer: God of all creation, let us find extravagant beauty in ordinary encounters.  Let us take rest in the things that bring us joy and let us go the long way to see all you have given for us. Amen

Scripture: Luke 13:10-17
By Michaela Eskew
 
“Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue ruler said to the people, ‘There are six days of work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath.’” Luke 13:14

In today’s reading, Jesus is back to healing on the Sabbath. This time he is challenged with the claim that he could heal on another day, he doesn’t need to break the Sabbath laws. While this is very true, Jesus immediately responds to the synagogue leader with a harsh scolding. If this woman has been suffering for eighteen long years, it is better for her to be healed as soon as possible than to let her suffer one more minute let alone another full day. Jesus is responding in empathy with this woman and reprimanding the synagogue leader for not seeing the great pain and need that the woman was in.

Again, this story challenges our idea of Sabbath and its importance in our weekly routine. We could likely argue our way into believing that the yard-work or last-minute grocery shopping is just as important as taking our donkey out to get water. Both are necessary tasks; both are chores that need to get done. But there is a difference. Jesus is speaking in terms of caring for creation and others. Taking the ox or donkey out for a drink is maintaining their bodily needs and caring for them correctly. Doing the many tasks we often find “necessary” on a given Sunday, under closer look, will likely only help us and not anyone else. Yes, many times our obligations on a Sunday are to other people, our teams, our families, our teachers or bosses, but that is work that could be left for another day. I doubt any of your tasks leave someone dying of thirst or lack of food. Therefore, the importance of Sabbath remains the same. Jesus, though he broke the Sabbath law, never broke what the Sabbath was meant for – giving glory and thanks to God.

After a month of reading and reflecting on Sabbath, what does Sabbath mean to you? How is God challenging you to take more Sabbath in your weekly routine? What does it look like and how might it change the rest of your week?

Prayer: Lord, you are the great healer. Help us to recognize the daily tasks that pull us away from the much-needed healing you provide in the Sabbath. Challenge us to see the holes in our schedule and not to fill them. Amen

Friday, March 31, 2023
Scripture: Matthew 12: 1-14
By Michaela Eskew
 
“For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” Matthew 12: 8

While the Hebrew Bible is very clear in its laws how to follow the Sabbath correctly, Jesus messes all of that up. Jesus comes in and lets his disciples pluck wheat on the sabbath – the very act of harvesting that the Sabbath rule says is punishable by death. Jesus also heals on the Sabbath. Then, when Jesus is accused of working on the Sabbath and breaking the commandment, he gives great reasons for breaking the law. He explains how the Sabbath is broken weekly by the priests that work in the temple on the Sabbath and questions just how many people would break the Sabbath if it meant helping themselves or someone else that was in trouble.

With Jesus’ new interpretation of the Sabbath, many Christians are left wondering if the Sabbath is still important. Clearly there are exceptions that can be made now for what can be done on the Sabbath. Notice, however what Jesus makes an exception for: bodily health. Jesus allows his disciples to feed themselves when they are hungry, even though it meant pulling that food straight from the fields. Jesus healed a man with a shriveled hand because he was a man in need. Neither of these actions are for selfish motives. Neither the disciples, nor the man with the shriveled hand were seeking to gain more power or privilege through their work. They were also not trying to disrespect God by showing that they could supply for themselves. If anything, both the injured man and disciples were showing their great need for God. The injured man went right up to God, Jesus, and asked for a miracle. And the disciples did just as the Israelites were told to do during the Sabbath year, gather their meals from the untended fields as their ancestors did.

Can you find a time in your week that follows these new Sabbath guidelines? A time that supports your bodily needs? A time that shows God, you need them?

Prayer: Lord of the Sabbath, remind us what the Sabbath’s intention is. May the sabbath not be a burden to add to our tasks for the day, but rather let us remember it as a gift. Amen.