"...they shut their eyes to the keeping of my Sabbath so I am profaned among them." (Ezekiel 22:26b AMP)
Sometimes, when I’m reading scripture I’ll come across a word with an assumed definition. Just for good measure I’ll look it up to assure my understanding of the application. To profane is to treat someone with disrespect or irreverence. When we fly past Sabbath un-slowed, we disrespect our Creator-Sustainer.
Disrespect is one of the most challenging parts of my day job. My students ignore, roll their eyes, mumble and comment under their breath. They huff with disdain and disregard instructions, expectations and protocols. They can be dishonest, insulting and flat-out mean. Truthfully, it’s infuriating. And I’m not God: no where near. I’m only an underpaid hireling attempting to carry out the superintendent’s educational plan for this district. Disrespecting a teacher’s aide is one thing. Disrespecting the Creator-Sustainer of the universe is quite another story.
This week I am mulling over the vastness of God. I close my eyes and begin in my own frame: deeply considering the intricate system, cells and DNA strands that He has composed and continues to orchestrate on a moment by moment on a nanoscopic level. Then I pull back and consider the other occupants in my house: two companionable cats and that handsome husband of mine. God is overseeing and sustaining within these contained and yet interactive systems as well. Rob, like me, is a designated space for the Spirit. We are not only living and breathing but also growing and consuming, learning and reforming.
I zoom out on my mental map a bit, now encompassing the couple blocks around my house. Numerous souls call this street home: the young couple and their cute little boy next door and the retirement-aged lady that raises mini-pinchers. (Bless their ever-barking hearts!) God is at work in the stories of these souls as well. He is ever aware of their needs and nuances, tugging them toward Him, too.
I continue this pullback and all of Weimar comes into view: 2074 individuals give or take. And still, God knows what is going on in every household and every heart. He sees their web of relationships, hurts, hopes and hangups with startling clarity. He knows their blood pressure, the hairs on their head and the peculiarities of each personality.
I keep widening the lens because God is bigger still. Now we are including all of Colorado County. God is no less involved in these lives than He is mine. Twenty-thousand folks are as critical as one and He continues to bless and keep and call close. The zoom-out continues, soon San Antonio, Austin and Houston are part of my mental pull-back and still, God reigns. Eventually all of Texas is in sight; 25 million and the systems that sustain are steadily held in God’s capable grip. Pulling out further yet, North America, South America; the globe spins and every single living person is the aim of His affection and will. 7.8 billion stories and counting, Our God is intricately involved in each and every one.
As if His hands aren’t full enough with all of humanity’s cares and concerns, He’s additionally holding the planets in orbit and also the sun. Our solar system and rest of the galaxy all bow to His command. Every star we see and the far-flung ones the astronomers are still discovering; the universe is still unfolding, each borne out of the mind and breath of the Creator Sustainer. This is the God we worship. Vast. Magnificent. Powerful. Majestic. Yet somehow, remarkably intimate.
Back to our scripture. When we skip Sabbath, when we rush past a day of rest designed to reflect and express gratitude for what is past and trust for what lies ahead; we profane Him. The Creator-Sustainer of all that we see or could ever hope to witness. The one who holds our frame and the frame of everything in His grasp. The architect of the human soul, friendship and imagination. We disrespect the most awesome, powerful and benevolent Creator. It’s kind of a big deal.
“If you turn back your foot from [unnecessary travel on] the Sabbath, from doing your own pleasure on My holy day, and call the Sabbath a [spiritual] delight, and the holy day of the Lord honorable, and honor it, not going your own way or engaging in your own pleasure or speaking your own [idle] words, Then you will take pleasure in the Lord, and I will make you ride on the high places of the earth, and I will feed you with the [promised] heritage of Jacob your father; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” (Isaiah 58:13-14 AMP)
Lord, please forgive us for our profanity. We have failed to see the connection between rushing and irreverence. Our hearts have been awakened now. Teach us to slow down and sit with You. May Sabbath become a welcome break from the business of living. May we be faithful to take a day to still ourselves in Your presence and make space for wonder. You are marvelous and You deserve our full attention. We want to love You with the level of devotion You warrant. Thank You for alerting us to our lack. Amen.