Isaiah 58:9-14; Psalm 103:1-8; Hebrews 12:18-29; Luke 13:10-17Yesterday morning I went for a run before the sun came up to try to beat the heat, unfortunately the humidity got up an hour earlier and was waiting for me. The air was so sticky with moisture I felt like I was swimming laps. It was not a very fun run to begin with but once I hit my stride and connected to the rhythm of running I felt pretty good. The texts for Pentecost 13 c are about connecting to the rhythm of God’s heart which is what Sabbath is meant to be and do. In Isaiah we connect to the rhythm of God’s heart when we remove the yoke of pointing finger and treacherous talk and honor the Sabbath by offering our food to the hungry. Psalm 103 connects to the rhythm of God’s heart by souls that bless the Lord and forget not his benefits, which is another way of saying remember all God has done for you which is another way of saying, thank you. The rhythm of God’s heart in Hebrews is a consuming fire which would be a frightening thing but for the Holy Hill where the Christ of God was consumed by and for human sin. And the heart beat of mercy in the Gospel of Luke is God’s own Sabbath song so that all who are bent over by spirits of shame or sorrow or guilt or any other debilitating evil might stand up and praise the God who heals us from all our diseases. Connecting to the rhythm of God’s heart can and does happen in the hour we set aside on a Sunday, but it is more a way of life than a way of worship, which come to think of it is really the same thing.
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