Exodus 20:8     Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

Mark 2:27     The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.

I watched him from the window � my five-year-old son galloping across the grass on an imaginary horse. His head bobbed under a heap of Indian feathers, looking as if a giant peacock had landed in his hair. He was Chief Big Eagle, or so he said. And in his hand he clutched his brand-new bow and arrow, the harmless, rubber-tipped kind.

He reined his invisible horse to a stop under the maple, placed the arrow into his bow and took aim at the sky. But the arrow took a limp little nose dive to the ground a few inches in front of him. He tried again and again. But the arrow refused o take off. It just fizzled to the ground like a deflated tire.

"My arrow won�t shoot", he whined, as he dragged his bow behind him into the house. I smiled at him under all those drooping feathers and shook my head. "I know", I said. "You didn�t draw back". His eyes lighted up. Then he went back out and sent an arrow onto the neighbor�s roof. But at least he�d discovered the secret of flying arrows.

It�s a secret I need to remember too. For life is the same way. Only as I draw back to God, to the Source of my strength and power, does my life soar to full potential. For like an arrow I must withdraw in order to go forward, or else I usually fall on my face. My flying power comes from retreating into His presence.

Lord, pull me back on Your gentle string.
Sue Monk Kidd