When times are good, be happy; when times are bad, consider; God has made one as well as the other." Ecclesiastes 7:14

Not exactly our typical reaction to life's events, is it? When times are bad we tend to call out to God until they are good again. We struggle and we doubt and our prayer life becomes consumed with, "God, get me out of this!"

And what about when times are good? Are we really happy... or do we tend to get numb to that happiness because we expect it to be the norm? I mean, we should always be happy right?

What an interesting verse.

We are so busy we barely have time to worry about what is going on around us. What a traffic jam! Family, friends, work, church, the house, the yard, the kids, the neighbors, school, fun, rest... scratch that, I'll rest next week. Do we even have time to slow down? What does it even mean to slow down? Well, I think we have to ask ourselves some questions about this verse:

Do we really experience the good times? Do we really feel the sad times? Because God has given us these rich emotions, but often we get confused on what to do with them. (Is now really a good time to laugh? It would be so awkward to cry here, now.) When was the last time we really just stopped and enjoyed the happiness for all it was worth? When was the last time that you really had a good cry? When was the last time that for God's sake we just slowed down?

      This idea of rest is hard for us to get. We're always trying to catch up with the latest. When God brings the Israelites out of Egypt, one of the first commandments He gives them is to rest. He calls it Sabbath. A day to rest. Now, to us, this just sounds like a day off, but to the Israelite, this is a horrifying concept. The Israelites, were slaves in Egypt, therefore, their worth was dependant on what they produced. We can't relate with that sentiment can we? In fact, when God tells Moses His name, He calls Himself, "I AM." It's the verb to be, or just be. When was the last time we just stood, wherever we were and just decided to be.

      But telling someone to rest is like telling someone who has to get somewhere to stay the speed limit. (And just where are we going anyway?) I mean, let's be honest, you barely read this today. It's so interesting that one of the ten commandments God gives the Israelites is a Sabbath. Not a day off... a day to stop. A day to slow down. To put things in perspective under a holy God.

I feel like I need to slow down. Suddenly, this idea of Sabbath doesn't sound like such an Old Testament thing. See what God is communicating to them is: you need to just be! In fact, to help, we're going to have a day where your only task is to just be. To slow down and enjoy who you are. Enjoy your family. Enjoy your friendships. Worship on this day. That doesn't require a hymnal or background music. To worship is to glorify and enjoy God. Enjoy! I love that word. It carries this idea of appreciating where you are in that exact moment.

You can enjoy sadness. Jesus wept. He let it all out. Being sad is not sulking. There is hurt. I'm not belittling that at all. But there is a profound difference between mourning and sulking. Mourning is productive! To weep is to flush out all the hurt you have. Sometimes, just like you have to just feel the hurt you have to feel the pain.

Eugene Peterson's The Message retells our verse this way.

On a good day, enjoy yourself,

On a bad day, examine your conscience.

God arranges for both kinds of days

So that we won't take anything for granted.

So we won't take anything for granted...

Wow.

Do we really soak in the day by day that God gives us? Are we human beings, or humans doing? Is this life a date book, or is it a dance with the living God? This is not a slam on productivity. We all have to get focused to get work done (I was supposed to be done with this a week ago). But freedom comes in keeping it all in perspective. With the work of His hands God could give and take away anything we could come up with. Let's stop worrying, stressing over jotting down our own stories, and wake up to the story God is telling that He has so graciously invited us into.

Thank you Jesus for that grace that saved us from the grave.

Thank you Jesus for Your work in our lives.

Thank you for new life.

Thank you that this world is yours.

I'm sorry I forget that.

Psalm 46.10

Be still, and know that I am God;

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth.

Let's be still and know that God is in control and we can trust Him.

Let's be still.

Let's be.

The Lord Almighty is with us;

the God of Jacob is our fortress. Psalm 46.11