Rhythms in Holy Week

No one likes to be interrupted.

Having a five, almost six-year-old makes interruptions a way of life. Often, I find myself mid-sentence, or in the infant stages of a story, when all of a sudden “hey daddy… did you know…” or “the other day I was…” Without consideration for what is already taking place.

Interruptions happen. They can be frustrating or sometimes a welcomed break from the irritations of work. At times we don’t want them, and at times we may. Our response to these interruptions tends to be determined by a desire to have control over our lives. Interruptions are unwelcomed because we want to be doing what we are doing; on the other hand, if we do not have a desire for a particular thing, interruptions are a good reason to stop, even for a moment.

Sometimes, though, interruptions are out of our control and in our best interest, especially spiritually.

In the Bible we see so many various types of rhythms in the life of the worshiper of God. We see rhythms of action and reflection like that of Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-42). Neither Mary or Martha were doing anything wrong, there are rhythms for each. We see rhythms of pain and joy (Psalm 126). As the psalmist writes, “Those who sow in tears will reap with shouts of joy,” they realize the deep emotional reality there are rhythms of pain in life and rhythms of joy. We also see rhythms of silence and sound (Psalm 37). But, the most significant and most common rhythm in the Bible is that of work and rest.

Work and rest is a rhythm the Jews in the time of the Bible took very seriously. Eugene Peterson once wrote about Jewish rest where he mentions the dramatic nature of when Old Testament God worshipers were intended to stop their work.

• Every day, when the sun comes up, it’s go-time for working and selling and making money. When the sun goes down, it is time for rest and relaxing with family and friends. That is a daily rhythm.
• Every week, there was a holy day known as Shabbat, or Sabbath. A day that is consecrated and set aside for the Lord. No work was done on this day. This is a weekly rhythm.
• Each month, a celebration takes place called the “New Moon.” This was a day when work was prohibited. This is a monthly rhythm
• Twice a year, there were festivals, Passover and The Day of Atonement, where shops closed and work stopped. This is yearly rhythm.
• Finally, every 49 years, an entire year was set aside to not plant or reap or buy or sell. The Year of Jubilee was an entire year of rest. This is generational rhythm.

The early Jews had a lifestyle of worship marked by this rhythm of work and rest. Imagine that. But why? Why did God, in his infinite wisdom establish such intense rhythms of ceasing work? Perhaps, it makes sense, if we can get outside of an American mindset and think about or spiritual lives with God as the most important thing about us. 

In this period in history, in the culture we live, with history of Christianity behind us, there is a mentality that work is most important. That provision for our families is the ultimate responsibility for the head of a household. That the ladder of society was placed there by God for people to spend their time climbing. This is not new. The prophet Amos, in chapter 8 mentions people grumbling against these rhythms of rest. “Hear this, you who trample on the needy and do away with the poor of the land, asking, “When will the New Moon be over so we may sell grain, and the Sabbath, so we may market wheat? We can reduce the measure while increasing the price and cheat with dishonest scales.” (Amos 8:4-5) They were grumbling because they wanted the celebration of rest to be over so that they could get back to the grind or buying and selling, of making money, of work.

What Happens?

Danger is not far away from the person who neglects rhythms of work and rest. We grow stressed. We begin to be short with those around us. Our priorities shift from worshiping with God’s people to having the more time to accomplish things. We end up trying to save more for retirement in stead of giving to the church and to those in need. The race of this world begins to take precedent and in turn it begins to erode the life of following God. I’m sure you have experienced this in your own life. 

Sometimes when life grows more and more busy, chaos ensues, your work becomes more stressful, or your kids are at an age where you can't seem to distinguish day from night, we begin to knock things off the bottom of our lists in order to gain even a little bit more brain space. Unfortunately, in the day and age we live, it is not common for corporate worship, communion with God, or zeal in the life of faith to be very high on the list; so, naturally in these seasons, it gets knocked off and treated as optional. This could result in grumbling like those in Amos 8, “Oh, this sermon is too long, I have so much to do.” or “I can’t stay to fellowship with anyone because my kids have nap time, or we have afternoon plans to mow the lawn.” Or, "I can't wake up to spend time in communion with God, I only got 5 hours of sleep last night."

The work of life begins to creep and the engagement of spiritual life begins to wane.

Symptoms of this are things like perpetual anxiety. Feeling like you are trapped in a cycle of chaos you can’t get out of. Maybe there are feelings of constant temptation you can’t seem to overcome. (That’s because the enemy loves to find weak points when we are weak already) It most often presents itself as withdrawal from community, isolation, feelings of guilt about not praying enough or reading the Bible enough, but then not changing patterns and routines to remedy the sense of guilt.

Rhythms of work and rest are not just important, they are vital for anyone genuinely seeking to prioritize their life of faith. Yes, this is difficult. It means that some days the list of “to-dos” doesn’t get done. It means that you take days off of work realizing that providing for your family is not ultimately your responsibility. It means putting the phone down at night. It means not going out late on Saturday night for the sake of prioritizing corporate worship on Sunday morning.

It means building a life of everything being in its proper place in the proper proportions at the proper time.

Holy Week!

In the Bible, this was pressed upon the people of God in the form of celebrations holidays. Today, we have the perfect opportunity to be interrupted from our normal daily grind of life too. This is Holy Week. The week in between Palm Sunday and Easter where we remember and celebrate the final week of Jesus’ ministry before his crucifixion.

There is a great temptation to keep running this week. To think of it as a normal week where nothing is different and life goes on “according to plan.” But I encourage you to not allow that to happen. Welcome the interruption this week. Slow down. Take some time of reflection on the beauty of the gospel of Jesus Christ in your life.

Maybe journal a little bit. Maybe get out for a walk with your family and take a picture of something remarkable. This is the perfect time to establish a rhythm of family worship in your home. Maybe it is planning yours and your spouse's favorite food to cook this week and celebrate the reality that we can live our lives in Jesus to the brim.

Holy Week is not like every other week of the year. It is set apart. It is special. It is a week to start again in the prioritizing of your spiritual life. It is a week the Lord has given us to audit our chaotic lives and seek to reorder it to prioritize the things he would have us focus on. Lean towards that interruption, not away from it.

The saying, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” is not totally wrong. I would rephrase it though, “All work and no rest makes the Christian feel distant from God and like all the plates are falling.”

​I get it. Taking time to focus on God and intentionally taking a rest from your job, your yard work, your house projects, etc. seems really counterproductive.

​But, believe me when I tell you, it is truly one of the most productive things you can do.

This is the week to do it and build those rhythms into your life and your family.