Thus the heavens and the earth were completed, and all their hosts. By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made. ~ Genesis 2.1-3

Rhythm: an ordered recurrent alternation of strong and weak elements in the flow of sound and silence in speech; movement, fluctuation, or variation marked by the regular recurrence or natural flow of related elements

Of late, I find myself thinking much about the rhythms in which I emerge myself. These fluctuations of daily routines and schedules and choices of what will rule my day, my week, my year even. Often I find my best made plans derailed by the chaos of the world. Somehow it slithers in, making itself comfortable in its disruption of my quiet thoughts and peaceful mood. The noise of social media and the chatter of the news stream and the opinions of the masses distort reality.

Yet, there is one day, one day a week where that noise, that chatter, those opinions never get an opportunity to disrupt. Adonai in His wisdom and His graciousness set the days and the times at Creation creating a rhythm for the days, the weeks, the months, the years. And every week, I am especially grateful for Shabbat.

This seventh day, a holy and set apart day, made for worship and rest after a week of chores and studies and writing. Friday evening at sundown, my work ceases and the phone is turned off. There is no cooking, no cleaning, no social media. Friday evening is the lighting of candles and fellowship of a meal with my family after a long week of chaos and distractions and everything under the sun needing attention. It is rest and peace and gratitude. Saturday morning dawns to more quiet and meditating on the Word, praise of Adonai, and small group fellowship. There is joy and prayer, reading and discussion. Then evening comes and I am ready to face a new week in the world. And face it I do, with all its chaos and madness and stresses.

My struggle, though, has always been bringing a little bit of the Sabbath into my week. So easily I drift into my Sunday morning, but come Monday I find myself shifting focus for a variety of reasons. Perhaps I wake up late. Perhaps curiosity gets the better of me and I dare look at the news for just a moment. Perhaps I am moody and just need some humor and social media seems the best cure. 

But truly there is really only one focus that is worthy, one curiosity that satisfies, one cure that is real. Yeshua and the Word. The reading and meditating each morning and evening, silencing the world and steeping myself like a proper cup of tea is a reset of my mood, a soothing balm to my spirit, a rhythm that stands guard between me and the uninvited chaos that rules the world.

It matters not what you read, Adonai will speak. Start in Proverbs – there are 31 and you can read it twelve times in a year. Read a Psalm – you can read the Psalms two and a half times in one year. Pick your favorite book. Start at the beginning and read a chapter a day straight through to the end. Let it fall open each morning to wherever it may and just start there. Just read. Just be still. For just a few moments.

Don’t say you don’t have time. Don’t say you are too busy. Because if you are reading this, you have time. If you are scrolling on social media, you have time. As much as I want you sitting here reading the words that I type, I want you to read Scripture more.

I am not telling you anything you do not already know; just reminding you of something that you have forgotten. There is always time for Yeshua. There is always time for reading Scripture. There is always time for being still. And if you take anything away from these rambling thoughts, let it be this: Make time for your King. Bring the quiet and stillness and peace of the Shabbat into your everyday rhythm. And let that rhythm set your time and tame your chaos.

Shabbat Shalom!
May it be filled with beauty and joy, peace and rest, and above all, Yeshua.
~ with love, Elizabeth

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