These past few weeks have been incredible. Fall is here, hunting season is about to begin, the kids are happy and I've finally been able to enjoy the fullness of my family and ministry partners. It wasn't that things were bad previously, it was only that I was not able to fully appreciate the gifts and ministries that God had given me outside of Forest Hills Church. The way we were living over these past five years involved the ministry consuming my every thought. Tragically, the result of such was an inability to enjoy the simplicity of mere fellowship with my family. Sure, we spent time together and I was around more than most dads, but it wasn't "quality time." We rarely just "hung out" and talked about each other and stupid stuff. Instead, our time and conversations always revolved around something related to ministry or crisis. It kills me to even write such things and know that I wasn't even aware of how bad things were getting. It took a major shift in life and ministry to open my eyes to the reality I had created.
My situation is not unique. Most of us never realize the lifestyle we are living and creating while we are immersed in it. We get tunnel vision and ignore everyone and everything else in life or we become ignorantly optimistic and deceive ourselves into thinking "it's only for a season," while the "season" goes on for years. It is no wonder that God has created the Sabbath for man.
A study of the Sabbath in Scripture is really pretty interesting. Over and over again it is mentioned as one of THE commands of God and marks of a true believer. However, outside of the commands of what not to do, the Scriptures are very silent about what a person should do on a day of rest. I believe this is because the day is not about religious observance, but mere fellowship and appreciation. We should be enjoying the persons and things God has given us without the distraction of the routine week. God knows that we're messed up people who really stink at prioritizing and/or appreciating our reality; therefore, He has given us the opportunity to step out of the routine and refocus.
I am grateful for the recent moves God has given my family and ministry. I still do not fully understand everything, but some things are becoming clearer (and healthier).
