To everything, turn, turn, turn; there is a season, turn, turn, turn; a time for every purpose under heaven. The season of winter sure has been long, but winter turns to spring, spring turns to summer and summer turns to winter…. Spring is in the air. The idea of planting the garden continues to occupy my thoughts. I saw that the stores are selling seeds already. I don’t get into that kind of gardening, as seeds go right into the ground for me. However, I have been working on the garden. We put extra food stuff in an empty one gallon ice cream container in the garage and then I go throw it on our garden. I’m getting the garden ready for the seed. A seed is planted, it grows and bears fruit.
Jesus told the disciples that telling people about God’s grace and mercy is like planting seeds. The disciples shouldn’t get discouraged when the seeds don’t grow. They are called to throw the seeds out and watch them grow, for there is a season for everything, including growth. Some of the seeds in the parable of the sower fell on ground that allowed them to grow. But they grew only a little before they got chocked and died. Why? People lost the flow to life and became consumed by the cares of the world. They would grow in their faith but then they forget the rhythm of life.
There is a rhythm to this creation: "And there was evening and there was morning, one day." It is a rhythm of grace and sufficiency that counters the idolatry of productivity and striving. Today, we are a society of addicted to caffeine and adrenaline. We are looking for a “rush”, a buzz. We just keep going without a sense of ups and downs we just are out of sorts; out of rhythm and we can’t grow.
There is a rhythm to our days. The busyness that overcomes the natural flow and movement in our days is sometimes overwhelming. God made life to have a rhythm and there is a rhythm in all living things – the heart beats, then rests; wakefulness and sleep; work and rest; sound and silence; daylight and night’s darkness; inhale and exhale; morning and evening; winter leads to spring; Monday to Sunday; tides go in and tides go out; growth and dormancy; life, death and regeneration.
Ecclesiastes text echoes creation in claiming that “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” These are the immutable … and distinct rhythms of life experienced by human beings. It is a life in balance.
We have been born with what scientist call a Circadian rhythm. The word means circa-day; about a day; body clocks; day and night; sleep and awake; all animals have them! Humans, in the twenty-first century and ever since the industrial revolution, have tried to deny their need for any rest, down time, dormancy, even sleep. The lights are on 24 hours a day. Stores and factories are open around the clock, every day of the week, sometimes even 365 days a year. Without these rhythms, we risk becoming machines; we risk losing being human and ability to savor life; and we risk losing life itself! Get away from the cues and nature begins to take its cues.
In 1995, three researchers spent a summer above the
I’ve heard of some offices where napping is encouraged but those are an exception. Most companies frown on down time on company time; still, if you are caught nodding off at work and your superior wakes you up, here’s what to do: simply keep your head down and your eyes closed and say, “…and I especially want to thank you for my excellent boss. Amen.”
Sometime the rhythm of life is lost and the need for Sabbath is more noticeable. Yet, we know that sometimes the rhythm of life comes to a conclusion; that one day we will completely rest from our labors. Even worse, we are aware of how the rhythm of life is destroyed. We saw the destruction in a dramatic way with what has happened at
“We have six crosses outside LCM as a witness to the world that God loves us all…that God forgives us all…that there is hope for all…that the cross of Christ stands in blustery winter winds for everyone. “Why six?” Because God’s grace and mercy is for all! Six crosses. Six crosses draped in the color of Lent-royal purple. Six crosses draped in the color of glory--red. Red. A school color. Red. A holy color, reminiscent of Christ's blood shed on the cross. Red. Christ's blood now mingled with the blood of six. Six crosses. A guiding place on campus--"the six cross corner." Crosses that guide to places, prayers, hearts, hope. Six crosses. No distinctions, simply acknowledgment. Six, not five. Six children. Six families. Six children of God, all loved by God. Six crosses. Six hurting families. No distinctions, simply painful fact. Six families crying out for mercy. Six crosses-- offering hope to world family facing east toward rising sun standing firm in winters' storms directing hearts to God whose back is never turned—whose love is always flowing— whose mercy is upon us all.”
I would add: AND ON THE SEVENTH CROSS – GOD RESTED!
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