Monday Manna: Summer Sabbath

Summer Sabbath

We made it to summer—though not officially until later this month, close enough to breathe a sigh of relief that the cold of winter and storms of spring are falling away. Now it’s time for flowers, sunshine, warmth, and more light! For my family, we celebrate the last week of school with the annual carnival that comes to town in Vandergrift, near our home. It isn’t as big as others or perhaps even as big as it used to be but it is a great way to kick off summer break for the kids. You recall those days, don’t you? Walking out of the doors of school on the last day feeling released. No schedules, no rushing, no alarms.

Most of us miss those days--either because they are long gone as we work full-time jobs through the summer, or because we are settled into our golden years and perhaps we don't get out like we once did. Maybe the seasons change outside the window while your daily rhythm stays much the same inside. The grass of those younger summers and much simpler times can look very green from here depending on what circumstances of life threaten to wither you.  But here’s something I’ve learned along the way, the grass is green where you water it. It is green where you find joy and purpose in what you have in the moment.

Typically, I write the Monday Manna posts as a recap of the Sunday sermon and an invitation into the scriptures for the next Sunday. This week I can't really do that but I still have a Word. I admit I do not know what Nicole preached in my absence besides what scriptures she drew her message from but I trust she did well. For those who attend regularly either online or in person, you may know I've been away. Certainly, not by choice.

It has felt like a desert wilderness for us--especially after thinking God had answered our prayers with so many signs along the way to finding ourselves grieving unexpectedly this past week. It has been a very challenging couple weeks and at moments the terrain of life seemed dry and cruel. It can be easy to question our faith in times such as these but I draw closer to God in prayer each day even with the tears rolling. I am comforted by the stories of our faith which is what sustains my life day to day and week to week no matter the season. My sole purpose in life is to share that comfort with others as Jesus did.

Jesus once told a woman something at the well that changed everything for her. She had come in the heat of the day to draw water from a common well—the ordinary and exhausting work of just daily survival. We all know it though perhaps it’s form takes different shapes for us all. He said to her, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again—but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst.” (John 4:13-14) She was looking for water and he offered her the source instead of just a sample. That is what faith does. It doesn’t bring back summers of long ago, slow the calendar, or remove the hard work of surviving in the harshest of conditions. But it does give us access to a Source that will never run dry—not in the winter, not in the grinding middle of a long work week, not in any periods of pain or suffering, nor in the quiet of retired life in June while everyone seems to be outside at play. We have access to a source that reminds us that you can be watered right where you are and that you will not whither away.

Beloved friends, this week and this season I invite you to find your moments to rest and be watered. One of my favorite theologians, Walter Bruggerman (author of Sabbath as Resistance) points out that Sabbath rest is not laziness. It is rebellion and holy one at that. It is our quiet but powerful declaration that we are more than what we produce, more than our schedules, and more than our limitations. The almighty God who rested on the seventh day of creation, invites us to the still waters of life to bask in his love and sunlight (or SON-light). To rest and rejoice in doing so for it is a source of life! A place to water our grass and draw near to our Lord. I invite you into that rest this week with dwelling in the word and into sabbath this Sunday as Nicole will lead one more week before I return. Thank you all for your love, care, and support. I am incredibly grateful and blessed. Brightest Blessings, Rev. TJ

Prayer – Lord water us where we are, and remind us today that in Your Son who gave all for us that we never have to thirst again for you are our life-giving source. Amen.

The Four Movements of Lectio Divina AKA Dwelling in the Word

Taking time to slow down and simply dwell in the Word is one of the most life-giving rhythms we can cultivate. In a world that constantly demands we read for information or efficiency, this spiritual practice invites us to read for intimacy and transformation. It is about letting the text master us, rather than us trying to master the text.

Here is a simple, four-step guide to help you sit with the Scriptures, followed by brief, clear summaries of the passages you’ve selected to guide your reflection.

Before you begin, find a quiet space, take a few deep breaths, and invite the Holy Spirit to speak.

• 1. Lectio (Read): Read the passage slowly, gently, and preferably aloud. Don't rush to finish. Just listen for a single word, phrase, or image that seems to shimmer or catch your attention.

• 2. Meditatio (Reflect): Read the passage a second time. Take that specific word or phrase and chew on it. Why did the Spirit highlight this for you today? How does it intersect with your current joys, burdens, or questions?

• 3. Oratio (Respond): Read the passage a third time. Now, turn your reflections into an honest prayer. Talk to God as you would a trusted friend—pour out your gratitude, your doubts, your requests, or your repentance based on what the text stirred up.

• 4. Contemplatio (Rest): Read the passage one final time. Release all your thoughts and simply rest silently in God’s presence, letting His love wash over you like a deep exhale.

  
  

Scripture Summaries for Reflection This Week

Use these one line summaries of the text to pick which scripture you will dwell in each day of this week. I have found staying in one scripture for a longer period of time can draw out more than bouncing between several. These are from the Revised Common Lectionary. You can read them in full all together here.

• Genesis 12:1-9: God calls Abram to step out in radical faith into the unknown, promising to bless him so that he can be a blessing to the entire world.

• Psalm 33:1-12: A joyful song of praise celebrating God’s absolute trustworthiness, His creative power, and the beautiful truth that His counsel stands forever.

• Hosea 5:15-6:6: The Lord diagnoses the shallow, fleeting devotion of His people, declaring that He desires steadfast, heartfelt love and true relationship rather than empty religious rituals.

• Psalm 50:7-15: God reminds His people that He doesn't need their external sacrifices to be fed, but rather desires their genuine gratitude and a heart that calls upon Him in times of trouble.

• Romans 4:13-25: Paul beautifully explains that righteousness and God's promises are received through the same kind of unwavering faith that Abraham had—believing in a God who brings life out of death.

• Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26: Jesus demonstrates His heart as the Great Physician by dining with the outcasts and releasing His healing, life-restoring power upon the desperate, the broken, and the grieving.