Vineyard Church | Weekly Update October 30th, 2024

What a difference a week makes… Last week as our weekly email dropped, I was undergoing surgery on my spine to repair an injury that has been causing me pain for some time. I received so many messages of support and concern and I deeply appreciate it. Your prayers and encouragement are helpful, and I think I am recovering well. On one hand, I never knew how much a person uses their back muscles to sneeze, but on the other, I am truly grateful for the work of the doctors, the prayers of our Vineyard family, and a loving God that calls our bodies into order. I can’t wait to see you on Sunday.

As we continue our journey through our Ten Commandments series this fall, the fourth commandment has revealed itself as one that needs a deeper consideration to unlock the promises the commandment holds. The sabbatical rhythm, the 6+1 creative design is a rhythm that warrants a deep look and some deep work. I sense there is something in this rhythm that the Lord is speaking to us, something that is destined to become a vital part of the fabric that is our life together. Here it is again:

Exodus 20:8-11:8 “Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 You have six days each week for your ordinary work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you.

For several weeks, we have been talking about the 6 of the 6+1, today, let’s talk about the “+”… The link, the connection, the point that makes both the 6 and the 1 incomplete. To my mind, the “+” is a demonstration that the prosperity gospel, the idea that faith in God is a means to having the things we want, an easy road of health and happiness, is a crock of the night soil of a well-fed bison.

While we are promised an abundant life (John 10:10; more on this next week), we are not promised a life of ease after we believe… the 6 days of work are real work, and they cause real wear and tear. The beauty of the 6+1 rhythm is that the wear and tear of the 6 is purposeful to the unfolding plan of God and leads to the promise of sustaining 1 in the rhythm.

This makes the “+” an important part of the rhythm because we can pause and identify, confess, profess, and proclaim that the work of the 6 leaves us empty emotionally, physically, mentally, and sometimes spiritually. Strength is not found in ignoring the reality of the wear and tear; pretending like it isn’t real or we are somehow immune to it. The work of calling and vocation takes out of us… this is how we know we are doing it correctly.

My simple point is this… It is important to acknowledge the toll. We acknowledge the toll in order to set up the next part of this rhythm and to watch creative design bring glory to God. We acknowledge the wear and tear, we offer it to the Father as a sign of faith and trust in Him, and then we watch him refill and reform as we prepare to do it all again. As you end your week of work this week, take a moment of quiet prayer to feel the wear and tear… allow that moment to launch you into the celebration of the Sabbath, cuz fam, THIS Sabbath is Sammich Sunday and we get to party together.

Adam Greenwell
Pastor
Billings Vineyard Church | www.billingsvineyard.org