God is With You in Your Work

“I am YHWH who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage." - Exodus 20:2 (Inclusive Bible) -

Dear siblings in Christ,

As I write this, I am hurtling through space 33,000 feet in the air. A young woman sits on my left, also typing away on her computer; a young man sits on my right, dozing. Just before my flight, I was texting with a friend who asked me: “Any plans for your in-flight entertainment?” My response: “… work.”

I’m curious. First, let me take off my pastor hat so you can consider me not as “Pastor” but as a human like you who - maybe like you - works for a living. OK, now let me ask: what are your initial thoughts on hearing about my in-flight plans? Are you thinking: “That’s a great use of your time!” or “Well sure, that’s what I usually do.” Or are you thinking: “I usually just watch a movie or read a book and relax” or “I never work on planes; that’s the only place where I feel like I don’t have to do it.” (Or maybe you really don’t care what I do or don’t do with my time on a plane. That’s perfectly fine too!)

But I do find it a bit ironic that I’m writing this pastoral reflection after just reading a chapter from “Sabbath as Resistance: Saying No to the Culture of Now” - as I keep plugging away, 33,000 feet in the air.

To provide context: I faced some tough days this past week - and my friend knows that. He and I both know I’m in need of some Sabbath right now, which is why he asked if (or assumed) I would take time for that on the plane. Dear ones, I don’t share this with you in search of pity, concern or even support (rest assured: I’m getting that), but simply to be honest and vulnerable in hopes of providing a space where you might find resonance with your own story. I wonder if you can relate to the challenges of balancing work and Sabbath, responsibilities to others and practicing self-care, taking on the pressures of society and leaning into the grace of God.