Sacred Rhythms: Discovering God’s Gift of Sabbath

The cold was bitter this time of year. Still, the longer nights meant she could cover more ground, keeping her pursuers at a distance. The woman paused, giving the small group behind her a second to rest, their breath freezing in the frigid air, as they pulled the few blankets they had tighter around themselves. Each of them stared back at her, eyes wide and ears straining against the sound of the wind through the trees. The woman they would go on to call “Moses” took a moment and then calmly repeated the words she had been telling them for two days:

"If you hear the dogs, keep going. If you see the torches in the woods, keep going. If there's shouting after you, keep going. Don't ever stop. Keep going. If you want a taste of freedom, keep going."

And then, quietly, she began to hum:

Wade in the water
Wade in the water, children,
Wade in the water
God's a-going to trouble the water

No one knows who wrote Wade In The Water. By the time the Sunset Four Jubilee Singers recorded this version of the spiritual in 1925, the hymn's history had already been soaked in 70 years of struggle, bloodshed, and freedom. Used as a way to remind escaping slaves to use the river as a way to hide their scent from slavecatchers' dogs, the song was one of many that carried coded messages along the Underground Railroad. These incredible men, women, and children who had been subjected to the worst of what mankind had to offer found their literal deliverance, guided by the lyrics of songs like ‘Steal Away’ and ‘Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.’ So, in 1925, when the Jubilee Singers gathered together to arrange, compose, and record these hymns, they did so with incredible respect, knowing that these songs had been sacred to their parents, who had used them not only for practical purposes, but who had found the character of a good God within the stories of their lyrics, and the courage to pray to Him within the passion of their melodies. To this day, more than six thousand spirituals have been catalogued, the power of their cries to God serving as a reminder, yes, of a darker time in our own history, but also of a people who refused to let their hope in God be extinguished come what may. Not all of us are inheritors of their rich tradition. Still, we should find within their stories and ancient truth that every family member of God is called to look back at who our heavenly father has always been, so that we, his children, can sing songs that remind our souls of his truth, today.

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
The maker of heaven and earth.
Psalm 121:1-2

Our Sabbath journey started with stopping, it continued with resting, and now, crucially, it ends with remembering. As the psalmist reminded himself of the true source of his help, take the next minute to reflect on what songs you have been singing over your own soul. Have you hummed to yourself hymns of peace or those of anxiety? In the mornings, have you adopted the melodies of the world, or whispered the words of a good and just Father? Have grace for yourself today, but be honest in your confession. Gently remind yourself of who God has always been, and who He has promised to be for you, today, asking Him to put a new song in your heart, and in your mouth.

Let’s pray together.

Lord God, at the end of my Sabbath journey, help me to lift my eyes to your holy mountain, and to remember where my help comes from. Good and Holy Father, replace the songs of my heart that fill me with anxiety, anger, resentment, bitterness, and envy, with ones of reliance on you, faith in your promise, and the kind of peace that says to the world, “God is the one who has carried me through it all.” Amen.