Rest – that longed-for break
from rushing life, endless toil,
relentless action
Is this the rest I seek?
Is this ‘shabàt’ of God –
“Come to rest in ME”?
Less an oasis
than a new geography;
another country
Not to visit
from your homeland of busyness –
A new place to live!
Move in! You’re welcome
here explore its landscape, breathe
deep refreshing air
Live here! And from this
new home take trips to busy
places. Then come home.
Paul Booth : March 2017
Written during the SDE gathering at Minsteracres Retreat Centre,
but inspired by much time spent in recent years exploring the spirituality of ‘sabbath rest’.
A very helpful poem in the midst of a ‘full’ period in the diary and in life. Thank you Paul. I shall move in straight away!
As one who increasingly doesn’t believe in coincidences I have just read your poem Paul following on from 3 verses in Matthew 11 (28-30) in ‘The Message’ by Eugene Peterson. I quote them in full: ‘Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me – watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.’
My heartfelt response to those opening questions was ‘Yes!’ As a parish priest in the Church of England, I need to rediscover (or perhaps truly know for the first time) ‘the unforced rhythms of grace’ rather than the pressured expectations of keeping the ‘Church’ alive. Nothing that is heavy or ill-fitting is truly of God. I then came across your poem which speaks so clearly again of how to live in the God Presence. Thank you.