Sabbath

Sundays, my Sabbath days, are when I’m reminded of who I am and what I’m here for.

The noise, rush, clamor, yelling, secrets, back biting, distrust and corporate politics of the week’s workplace slowly crumble away like sand castles when Friday evening rolls around. After a few healthy hours of slow decompression the troubles of M – F dissolve, leaving me in a groggy and semi-lethargic euphoria.

Eventually the core of my existence, my spirit, my truest hope in this life, once again returns and refreshes the weary places. By Sunday afternoon I’ve been emptied enough of the worries and stresses of last week’s concerns to be able to remember again what it is I am here for. I remember who I am. I remember the Story. I remember Him who holds and sustains.

Often it seems like it takes until Sunday for me to be quiet enough to hear once again the subtle strains of the Creator’s song that reverberates through the spaces of creation. Creation need not be reminded of His ever faithful kindness, goodness, care and attention. Creation never stopped knowing. But we need reminding. Often. And He knows that. So He gave us the Sabbath. And in His giving of the Sabbath the observing of it was not optional. The Sabbath was God’s command to rest, to be still and to know. He cares deeply about the well-being of our souls. He cares that we be refreshed when we’re tired. He cares that we retain our heart and desire to be a caring, loving people.

So our Sabbath days should not resemble the other days of the week at all. Our Sabbath days ought to look different and feel different, so very different. Life itself, in its barest and simplest form, was and is His gift to us and it follows that the Sabbath is a weekly gift to (our) life, a way God made to help us keep the holiness/sacredness of life within our sights. Sabbath is our habitual way to keep the character and mind of God before us and the means to keep His Spirit and ours in friendship.

Our Sabbath days should look and feel unique, set apart, odd, even. The Sabbath is not an earthly creation but the stuff of heaven residing on earth. Getting in the habit of keeping the Sabbath may feel awkward at first, but take it as a good sign … if it doesn’t feel natural you’re probably on the right path. Eventually it will feel right and eventually you will start to long for it. You might not like it at first … you may feel lost without your “To Do” lists and you might even find yourself stealing glances at the clock, wondering when this boring day will ever end so that you can get back to doing the important things in life. Don’t mistake me, these important things may not be all bad – it could be finally cleaning that forgotten bathroom in the basement, getting around to fixing that broken item your spouse has been bugging you about for the last few months, balancing the check-book, grocery shopping, catching up with friends on the phone. But my suggestion would be to ask yourself, “Do I feel the Lord’s rest in this? Is this a busy distraction that may come between quiet time with Him? Are the lines of communication open between us while I do this? Is this something I can do during the week?” If you feel that you’re unable to hear the voice of God in any particular activity you’re considering doing, I’d suggest not doing it. I prefer to not have my Sabbath full of things that make it hard for Him to speak to me. (Does T.V. watching fall into that category? At risk of sounding legalistic I’d say probably. But this is a guideline, not an absolute.)

When you start observing Sabbath you might feel weird … lazy … unproductive. But Scripture says that when God observed the very first Sabbath “He rested”. He’d just worked a full 6 days and He unhesitatingly and unashamedly took the 7th day off. He didn’t feel guilty about it and neither should you. Go for the long nap … the quick meals (if you hate cooking) … the long walk outside … dink around in the garden if that brings you pleasure … make horribly fattening cookies … reminisce … play an instrument … wrestle with the kids … go on a date with your spouse … spend time with family … eat a lazy dinner outside on the deck, soaking up the sunset … just be …

God worked, then He rested; He enjoyed the fruit of His labors. I believe the key to Sabbath is not only the resting but the delighting in – pure, unashamed delight in what’s been given and in who He is.

Discover the gift of Sabbath.