Presenter: Michael Hryniuk
Explore how spiritual disciplines such as sabbath and contemplative prayer can be integrated into lives of active engagement in ways that enrich and deepen our walk with Jesus.
The practice of Sabbath is a deep and essential part of Jewish and Christian tradition and yet many of us in ministry and Christian leadership continue to struggle with pathological busyness in our lives. Jesus gives the invitation to us: “Come to me all you are weary and heavily burdened and I will give you rest” (Mt. 10:28) but so many of us are still exhausted! We seem to have lost our capacity for simply stopping and resting in God’s presence . We don’t have time or energy to enjoy the fruits of our labours.
In this session, we will take time to reflect first on the root sources of our hyperactivity. Why are we so busy in our lives? What are the forces that are driving us to become what Henri Nouwen called “compulsive ministers?” Second, we will briefly revisit the biblical and theological meaning of Sabbath and ask how it relates to our contemporary context. How is the practice of Sabbath part of God’s saving plan for His people in the midst of a fast-paced world? How is this practice an invitation to prophetic witness and spiritual transformation in our lives? Finally, we will explore some simple practical ways of recovering rest, renewal and balance in our day. How do we build periods of rest, prayer and joy into our daily schedule so that our spirits are renewed and our ministry is vibrant and sustainable? Our ultimate aim is to recover the meaning of Sabbath not only as a biblical practice but as a whole way of life in which there is a rhythm of rest and work that leads to joy and fruitfulness in service of the Gospel.
