Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“When the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan flowing from above shall be cut off; they shall stand in a single heap.”
NL Daily Devotion for Wednesday, August 23, 2023
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff
Even the priests need to rest. For me, sabbath involves Sunday worship, which is hardly a time of rest for my pastor, music director, and all those whose work it is to lead that worship. I get to be in community with my congregation, sing and pray and commune and be filled. For me it is blessed rest. But not so for those writing sermons and preaching them, directing choirs, providing special music, and more. For those lovely and amazing human beings, sabbath rest will have to be taken a different day than what is nominally set aside for that purpose. I am fairly certain that most congregations allow for that day of rest—often a Monday or a Friday—each week for their leaders to recharge and fill their own wells. Our pastors and leaders are as human as we, and as in need of that rest as much if not more so than anyone else. God welcomes everyone into sabbath rest whenever and however they take it.
How do I support the well-being of my church leaders?
