“Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.” Genesis 2:3
I ran five miles yesterday for the first time in 11 days. Apparently 11 days is enough of a break from running to feel that familiar ache of lactic acid build-up in my legs. The soreness from exertion not executed quite regularly enough ... Haven’t felt that in awhile? Go sprint down the road a couple times and wait till tomorrow, you’ll know what I’m talking about.
This particular type of soreness always leaves me feeling restless. An uncomfortableness in my own body that is abated neither by sitting still nor by moving. My legs yearn to run, only to recoil once in motion.
In this time of quarantine, my physical muscles aren’t the only ones in flux. Socially, emotionally, mentally, spiritually ... we are all adjusting to this new time of distancing. Life as we know it has been turned upside down. And the muscles that we’ve kept in shape to keep us grounded are now finding themselves dangling from the ceiling, not knowing what to hold on to.
My social muscles, having been stretched taut for so long, are finally able to relax a little, and it feels weird! I want to jump into every Zoom call and online chat, connect with friends on Google Hangout, and send 8 million emails and texts to people. My social muscles, so used to being overexerted, don’t seem to know how to rest. Will I be okay if my social synapses aren’t constantly firing?
My mental muscles are equally fatigued. Pulled between the boredom of being stuck in my house all day and the rush of all the work to be done ... trying to figure out how to make life “normal.” Can’t I see that there is no normal? Is it even worth trying to reschedule everything ...? To make everything continue to move forward as if nothing has changed ...? When I want to stop and scream EVERYTHING HAS CHANGED!
And my spiritual muscles? How long has it been since I’ve exercised those? (Like really exercised them, done more than taken the dog for a walk around the block). It’s like after I’ve neglected doing push-ups for a while, my body forgets how to do it. I strain, yet try as I might, fall on my face.
In this time of quarantine quiet and stillness, I’m learning to pay attention to my muscles. Listening to my body, my heart, my mind, my spirit. Listening to the spirit of God at work in me.
I’ve talked to many people this week who are stressed beyond measure trying to “catch up” with everything, and to get everything set up for an online world. And while virtual reality can help us connect in this time of physical distancing, let’s not trade one whirlwind pace for another. There’s a reason “Remember the Sabbath” made God’s Top 10 List. As Jesus reminds us, “The Sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27).
So at some point today, or tonight, I invite you to pause. Remember the God who created you, and who gives you permission to rest. Remember the muscles in your body God sewed together in love, and give those muscles - physical, mental, emotional and spiritual - a chance to rest. Remember the Sabbath, and keep it holy.
Amen.
- Pastor Emily Carroll