Don’t Just Break, Rest.

Let’s talk more about breaks. Not just your fifteen minute smoke break (do people still take those?) or more likely your fifteen minute facebook break (ala Rebel WIlson in “What To Expect When You’re Expecting). But rest. Intentional rest.

In church talk we call it taking a Sabbath.

I love taking a Sabbath. It’s something that was built into my life/schedule while I was doing my Mission Year in New Orleans, and I’ve tried since then to keep it going whenever possible. Taking a Sabbath is more than just having a day off where you sit around and do nothing. It’s about resting and communing with God.

There’s two places in the Old Testament where we’re given the reason for Sabbath:

1. In Exodus chapter 20 verses 8-11 we find the first reason; we’re not better than God. Plain and simple. God gives the command to work six days and rest one “For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” God – the creator of everything, Lord of the universe…rested. He took a break. I don’t know why, and the why isn’t really that important, what’s important is that He did it. Now…if God needed a break, a rest…who are you and I to think we don’t? That if we don’t do x, y, or z they just won’t get done. Likely we need to prioritize our time better to get things done in the allotted time rather than working all day every day. We are not better that God.
2. In Deuteronomy chapter 5 verses 12-15 we find the second reason; we’re no longer slaves. “You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.” You know who doesn’t get a day off? Slaves. Now, I’ve never been a slave in the literal sense of the word, but I do know I’m no longer a slave to sin. In this case specifically a slave to the sin of glorifying my busyness. God has set me free from the consequence of sin, and because of that I can rest and spend time with Him. I’m not a slave any more.
   

So how do you move from having a “day off” to a Sabbath? That’s pretty much up to you? What is restful for you? What helps you commune with God? Spend some extended time alone with Him in personal study and worship and go from there. Do you work with your hands and your body all week long? Enjoy a good novel, or a book on a topic of interest for you; rest your body, engage your mind. Do you spend most of your time engaging your mind? Mow the lawn, plant a garden.

Go for a walk, play some disc golf, have a great meal with friends. Do something that is restful and restorative for you.

How do you Sabbath? What is restful for you? How do you connect with God?

 

Grace & Peace,

Stippick