Floating

I have been enjoying my own private oasis this week. Our 15' X 4' pool from Target is usually an arena of violence and competition. My son calls me out to the arena daily for our summer version of backyard basketball - put it in the bucket - anything goes! Although I might occasionally come away with a win, I always come away with a battered body and a lack of oxygen.

This week has been different - since my son has been at basketball camp during the day, the afternoons have been quiet and free of pool brawl. Instead, I have gone out each afternoon, skimmed the pool, dunked myself underwater once and then have peacefully reclined on my $1.50 raft of delight. Twenty minutes (or until my sweat starts boiling) of peaceful, silent, uninterrupted floating in a mini backyard paradise.

It is just 20 minutes, but those brief minutes of calm and stillness have brought huge dividends of strength and renewal. It has once again been a reminder of the wisdom of sabbath moments.  Sabbath moments must always begin with "ceasing" or "stopping". It doesn't matter if the ceasing occurs in a pew, on a bus, at a desk, in the library, standing at the sink, waiting in a line or even floating in a little pool - when we cease our striving we open the door to the Lord's renewal, power and a regaining of a right understanding of our great need for Him in every moment.

Isaiah 30:15 "... in quietness and trust is your strength." My peaceful afternoons will soon come to an end but with a little effort we can always find opportunities for "sabbath moments." We must - they are God's design for strength in our day.