I spent last weekend with two of our delightful grandchildren. On Sunday morning, as I joined livestream worship on my computer, my four-year-old granddaughter recognized Pastor Tommy on the screen and said, “I want to see church too!” She pulled herself up onto the chair next to me at the kitchen counter. We talked about her questions. Is Pastor Chris a helper? Who is singing? What’s that? She was very interested in what John was doing and all those white buttons on the organ console. I think she was fairly satisfied with my attempt to explain what an organ stop does.

After a short break between services and refreshing our snacks, we sat down for the Wellspring livestream. She was curious about the people again. I told her about my friends Pastor Abe and Pastor Kris and Pastor Janet as they appeared on the screen and all the musicians. Her two-year-old little brother climbed his way in between us from time to time—popping in to see what we were doing and not wanting to miss out on anything.

“Sabbath,” meaning the seventh day, is connected to the day that God rested after six days of creation (Ex. 20:8-11). It is a day to rest and turn our minds to God. As Christians, our Sabbath custom is to gather for worship on Sunday, the Lord’s Day, the day of Resurrection, in celebration of new life in Christ and remembrance of what God has done for us. The rhythm of Sabbath becomes our habit, our custom. These past months we have adjusted our Sabbath practice to connect in a way that is mindful of taking care of each other through online worship.

I am grateful for that sweet Sabbath morning and the comfort of familiar rituals in an uncertain time. I found new blessing seeing worship up close and personal through the eyes of a child. God brings new life to each day, and unexpected opportunities emerge. The connection of the Church, the body of Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit is real—however we gather—offering moments to see in new ways and experience blessing. Jesus taught that Sabbath was made for the good of people (Mark 2:27 CEV). May the rhythms of Sabbath soothe your soul and bring comfort, peace, joy, and assurance of the loving presence of Christ.