Sunday Thoughts: Nov. 7th, 2021
“‘Sabbath is an expression of faith. Faith that there is a Creator and he’s good…’ says John Mark Comer. ‘So on the Sabbath, we don’t just take a day off from work; we take a day off from toil. We give him all our fear and anxiety and stress and worry.’”*
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I thought about going to church this morning, but I didn’t. My body is still recovering from a few weeks of touring around the country and it was telling me to remain still a little longer. Learning to listen to the cues my body gives me is a relatively new thing in my world - but one that has served me very well lately.
So I had a quiet morning in my sunroom with some prayer/meditation time. I then tried to watch a couple of sermons online, but both irritated me for different reasons. That led me back to a question I’ve been wrestling with for quite awhile now - “Where do I land religiously these days?” Saying I’m a Christian doesn’t cut it for me anymore because that term can mean many things. A fundamentalist Christian? An evangelical Christian? A modernist? A neo-evangelical? A progressive? A mainline Protestant? …..WHAT AM I?
David French wrote an article a couple of weeks ago about the infighting in Christian circles today that I’ve been hearing many people referencing lately. Here’s the link: https://frenchpress.thedispatch.com/p/evangelical-elites-fighting-each
Then I heard them discussing this idea of “Elite Evangelicals” further on this episode of The Holy Post: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-holy-post/id591157388?i=1000539174931
And finally, I found this interesting breakdown by Phil Vischer (host of the Holy Post, and yes Veggietales creator) about what exactly IS an “Evangelical”. https://youtu.be/NiiRnO7UTTk
It reminded me that Christianity has changed and changed and CHANGED throughout history. There are certain sects of American Christian churches who claim that their version of Christianity is the “original” one. But when you look back at Christianity before America was even a country, their claims become… well, just silly. Americanized Christianity is just another relatively new version of this religion.
I still don’t know what to call myself these days, but the urgency of trying to figure it out has subsided a bit. Most days I’m content to just be ME without a religious label. Today, this is who I am: I’m a deeply spiritual woman who believes in a God that created all things (including humans, mother earth and beyond) - and follows the teachings of Jesus in the New Testament. Anything beyond that just gets a shrug from me right now.
Is the Bible the inerrant word of God? - shrug
Is Christianity the only way to heaven? - shrug
Is there really a hell? — shrug
I know some of my friends read that with concern, angst, even horror.
But the good news about the “shrug” is that it is truly freeing. Giving up certainty for me has been awesome! Embracing the mystery of God has been one of the most wonderful revelations in my spiritual journey. It allows God to be God — and takes all the pressure off of me. I don’t have to know it all to love others, and that is what I feel I’m ultimately called to do.
So.. I sit here at home on this GORGEOUS fall Sunday morning, and breathe in the beauty of nature around me. Letting God help me write these words today as I process where I am in my spiritual journey, and smiling as I know I’m closer to where I want to be than I have ever been before.
I used to feel guilty not attending church on Sabbath - but now, I think Sabbath is about so much more than only attending church.
So…..
Whatever you need to do today to feel closer to our Creator, God - do that.
Whatever you need to do today to care for your soul - do that.
Whatever you need to do today to honor yourself and others - do that.
When I do those 3 things, I feel God smile at me — and it makes me smile too. And that is my expression of faith today.
Happy Sabbath, friends.
— M
*John Mark Comer, Garden City: Work, Rest and the Art of Being Human, 2015
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