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Greetings from Ireland, where at midnight tonight we move to stringent Covid-19 restrictions again
for the next six weeks. We're to stay home except for essential travel
and exercise within 5km (3 mi) of home. We can meet up with one other
person/household in an outdoor public space like a park. (Bearing in
mind that Irish weather makes this rather iffy!) Churches, eat-in
restaurants, non-essential retail, etc., are all closed again. But they
hope to keep schools and childcare open. You can see the Irish
government's 'Living with Covid' plan below.
As you live with coronavirus wherever you are, it seems we’re all either much more
busy than usual – maybe juggling kids doing online school with working
from home and also supporting older family members’ needs – or much less
busy, with normal work and community activities slowed to a trickle.
I’m in the second category. My international ministry travel is
cancelled into 2021. My Irish church is on recorded Sunday worship and
our weekly women’s bible study can’t meet. My local MeetUp events and
other group social activities are on hold. The online part of my work
does continue, mostly. I’m teaching an MA/MDiv biblical interpretation
course for Fuller Theological Seminary, doing random small theological education consulting projects in various parts of the world, trying to finish up some academic writing for publication, and starting a diploma in personal/executive/leadership coaching
for my professional development. But I’d really rather be immersed in
the travel and classroom teaching in Africa and Asia that are what I
love most about this ministry.
I’ve heard friends refer to 2020 as the Great Pause.
Recently I was working on a virtual presentation on sabbath rest for the
women’s retreat my EPC Mid-Atlantic Presbytery is hosting this weekend.
As I read and prayed and thought about sabbath I realized how much I
myself need a weekly sabbath pause right now. For me most days in the
current Covid-19 reality involve figuring out what projects I need to
attend to, making those happen on my computer, and trying to stay
focused and motivated to keep working from home alone. Well before the
end of the day I usually run out of steam mentally, emotionally, and
spiritually. Because I’m not getting as much done as I feel I should it
seemed counter-intuitive to take a designated full day off from work.
But I am reminded that God in his goodness has already woven sabbath rest into creation. For Christians this isn't a legalistic requirement but a gift I can unwrap to use now.
So this month I've tried sabbath-ing. For one day a week I completely pause, or ‘cease’ (the meaning of sabbath),
from anxiously trying to make things happen. In the Old Testament
Yahweh reminds the Israelites that he himself finished his work and
rested on the seventh day (Ex 20:11). But he also tells them to keep the
Sabbath to “remember that you were once slaves in Egypt, but the Lord
your God brought you out with his strong hand and powerful arm” (Deut
5:15). Especially in these crazy times sabbath-ing is one way I can
affirm that God, not me, is the powerful one in charge taking care of
us. On my sabbath day last week I slept late, made blueberry pancakes
for breakfast, finished unpacking boxes and hanging pictures in my
little house, got my bike out and rode it for the first time since I
broke my ankle in July, and had pizza for supper.* I felt filled up and
ready to press ‘play’ again after that sabbath pause.
Other longer sabbaths are also built into Old Testament sacred time. I
can see how God has been using the Covid-19 Great Pause – and also the
broken ankle, because maybe I’m a slow learner?! – in my life as an
unexpected sabbath. In spite of my Type-A inclinations I’ve been forced
to unwind. I can feel the slower rhythms of my mind and heart.
I’m hopeful that like my sabbath days make the rest of the week both
more relaxed and more productive, I can carry this longer sabbath into
my work when things pick up again. (They will pick up, right??!)
But first I need to press ‘pause’ one more time. Instead of waiting for
my Christmas visit to Virginia, Serge and I decided that given these
heightened Covid-19 restrictions I’ll go sooner, at the end of this
month, and stay into January. I'm not sure I can do the long solo
lockdown here in Ireland again, particularly in the cold and dark this
time. Especially when my ankle isn't ready yet for the rambling winter
walks with Irish friends. Fortunately my online teaching and other
projects go with me anywhere. Now that we’ve made this decision and I’m
somewhat over feeling guilty about it, I can’t wait! I haven’t been more than 20 miles from my house since the end of January, and I haven’t seen any of my family for almost a year.
Best of all, I’ll get to play with ALL my little grandchildren, as
Caroline and her family are coming from Rwanda for Christmas since their
summer trip was cancelled, too. I’m a very happy Nana looking forward
to this different sort of sabbath festival.
So that’s where I am at the moment, trying to adjust to God’s rhythms of
rest. What’s God been teaching you through the Great Pause?
