-by Rev. Jeff Gannon

For those of you who are in need of Sabbath, I have included the titles of several books that have become authoritative for me on this topic. I highly recommend you read them.

  • Keeping the Sabbath Wholly – Marva Dawn
  • Rest: Experiencing God’s Peace in a Restless World – Siang-Yang Tan
  • Sabbath as Resistance – Saying NO to the Culture of Now – Walter Brueggemann
  • You Can Live in Jesus’ Easy Yoke – Bill Gaultiere, Ph.D.

Some things I didn’t get to on Sunday in my sermon….

 Time Management – Why it Matters: Time is not a renewable resource – once it’s gone you can never get it back! As Christians, we have been tasked with the responsibility of using our time wisely so we can effectively do God’s work in the world. The truth is that if you don’t control how you spend your time, the world will do it for you. Circumstances will dictate how you allot your time and emergencies will consume your days. By charting your time and being intentional with your schedule, you’ll be able to make time for the most important things in life. As you begin to think through how you spend your time, you’ll probably notice that they fall into four basic categories:

  • Important & Urgent- These things need to be done promptly or there will be some pretty big consequences. Put these on your schedule first.
  • Not Important, but Urgent- They require immediate attention, but as far as consequences are concerned, they are minimal if you don’t do it. Schedule these next.
  • Not Urgent, but Important- These are things you wish you had more time for, like exercising, volunteering your time, or doing stuff with your kids. Make sure you allow time in your schedule for these things- don’t just leave them to chance.
  • Not Urgent & Not Important- Time wasters- TV, playing video games, internet browsing, things that take up more time than they ever should. Don’t let these activities bleed into other areas of your schedule. Remember that life should be full of rhythms- positive habits that are regularly repeated.

As you create your time management plan, consider the following questions:

  • What are some rhythms you already have established? Work schedules, exercise plans, activities for days off of work?
  • How would you like to further develop rhythms in your life?
  • Are you having a Sabbath? The rhythm of a Sabbath in your week is so important. It’s a great practice to learn how to be still, to behave as if it’s all done, even if it’s not. Find activities that incorporate both worship and rest in your life. For example, going on a long walk or hike, laying in a hammock and reading, laying on the beach in the sunshine, choose something that invigorates you. (Be aware that there may come a time that you need to break your Sabbath for an emergency or other life crisis – do your best to rest another day.) Develop a healthy rhythm of rest and work so you can do all that God has in store for your life. Allow people in your life to hold you accountable to living within your schedule.