Rest

"Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.

Six days you shall labor and do all your work,

but the seventh day is a sabbath

to the LORD your God.

On it you shall not do any work,

neither you, nor your son or daughter,

nor your male or female servant,

nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns.

For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth,

the sea, and all that is in them,

but he rested on the seventh day.

Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day 

and made it holy."

Exodus 20:8-11

One of my favorite series to read when I was growing up was the Little House books written by Laura Ingalls Wilder.  Since I loved animals and wanted to live on a big farm, I enjoyed Farmer Boy most of all.  One of the chapters in this story of the author's future husband's childhood described how the family spent the Sabbath.  Every Sunday they would attend church services but the kids were not allowed to run or laugh or talk loudly.  Once they finished their midday meal, the family would literally do nothing all afternoon.  The kids would be forced to sit idly by, bored out of their minds, as the adults dozed in their chairs.  

I always felt sorry for those siblings that grew up with such a strict understanding of how to celebrate the Sabbath.  Instead of it being a day to look forward to with lots of rest and recuperation, it became a day to dread.

While I don't know anyone in this day and age that takes such a harsh view of the Sabbath, it does seem that the pendulum has swung in the other direction.  In our fast-paced world, we tend to ignore it all together.  We rationalize that there is only so much time in a week, and we must maximize our time if we're to get everything done.  

Instead of treating Sundays like any other day, think about the following.

Benefit

The Pharisees were experts in the Law.  Not only did they know God's Word, but they had compiled their own sets of rules to "help" others obey the commandments God had passed down to His people.  Whenever they noticed someone breaking any one of the numerous Jewish regulations, these men were quick to point it out.

Therefore, when they observed Jesus and His disciples picking some heads of grain one Sabbath day, these policemen of sorts were delighted to put Jesus in His place.  "Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?"  (Mark 2:24)  They were sure they had trapped Jesus this time.  What would He be able to say because He was clearly "working" on the day of rest!

Instead of getting drawn into an argument, however, Jesus pointed out the fact that the Sabbath was made for our health and well-being, not as a means by which to judge people.  Instead of using the fourth commandment to condemn others, it's meant to be used for our own good.  In other words, the mandate to rest on the seventh day is not to become more important than the people who it was designed to benefit.

If one family chooses to use the Sabbath to go on a picnic and enjoy the outdoors, it's their choice.  Some families might draw rest from raking leaves together in the crisp, cool of an Autumn day.  Whereas others might judge this as work, the family in question might see it as fun and restful.  While one might think going out to eat is the thing to do, another might see napping at home as the best way to spend their afternoon.

However I choose to spend my day, I must be careful not to look down on what my brothers or sisters decide to do.  Instead, I would be wise to take it for the reason for which it was created: to give me some much-needed rest.

The Sabbath was created for the benefit of God's people.

Holy

The shutters were closed and the doors were locked.  Anyone who walked down the street in my home town forty years ago would know that Sunday was a day that was different than any other day:  Most businesses took a day off and little commerce took place on the Sabbath.  The peeling of the church bells could be heard, calling people to services.  People often went for Sunday drives, enjoying the countryside and each other's company.  The pace was slower and more relaxed than on any other day of the week.

Today, things have changed.  It is rare to see a business closed on Sunday and many people think of the day as a time to catch up on all the work that has been left undone during the week.  Others think that as long as they go to church, they've fulfilled the commandment.  It could be these believers are missing the point and losing out on all the benefits that are meant to come from observing the Sabbath.

When God commanded that we keep the Sabbath holy, He meant that it is to be set apart and different from all other days.  When my pace is just as quick, or I work just as hard, or I'm just as focused on my to-do-list on Sundays, then it is no different from any other day.  Instead, I am challenged to dedicate the day to God for His use and spend the time in ways that honor Him.  

If He calls me to spend the day building relationships with my family, I would honor God by playing games with my children and husband.  If He inspires me to go on a leisurely outing, I would please God by visiting the zoo.  If He desires that I spend a rare day on the couch, it would do His heart good to see me reading the paper and laughing with my family as we share a movie together.

However I spend my days, Sundays are created to look different than the rest of the week.

Faith

"We want to work up to giving a full ten percent.  Once we get some of our bills paid off, we will tithe."  I have heard this sentiment expressed many times, and my husband and I used to think the same way.  What we didn't realize was that God gave a direct command to give the first fruits of our labor.  This is not voluntary nor does it only apply to those who have surplus income to give.  Instead, it is an instruction that reveals the depth of my faith.

While I may believe I am no longer bound by the command to tithe, I am called to a higher mission:  I am expected to give generously with a cheerful heart!  (2 Corinthians 9:7)  Since God set the bar in the Old Testament at 10%, it seems God desires that I give at least that, and possibly more as He transforms my heart of stone into a more sensitive heart of flesh. (Malachi 3:8-10, Ezekiel 36:26)  

When I give thanks as I place my tithe into the basket on Sunday morning, unsure if I will have enough to pay my bills, I am proving to God that I trust Him enough to obey Him.  In the same way that my money supply is limited, I only have been given a certain amount of time.  While I may think I don't have enough to accomplish all my work and still give one-seventh of it back to Him, I am betraying my lack of faith in Him when I fail to rest on the Sabbath.

Setting a day aside for God proves to Him that I trust Him enough to provide the grace that makes six days enough for what needs to get done.  If I doubt I can get by on only six days-worth of time, then I am betraying my lack of confidence in the One who created me to have a day of rest.  Trusting God enough to give one day back to Him is a test of faith that will be rewarded in abundant grace.

Setting aside the Sabbath as different than all the other days takes a step of faith in the One who created all things.

In this modern day and age, it is common to ignore the command to observe the Sabbath as old and out of date.  God, however, does not change and He made us with a need for rest.  Therefore, I would be wise to realize the benefit found in instituting a day of rest that looks different from all the rest.  When I do so, I am proving my faith in the One who loves me and knows what is best for me.  Then I can face the week ahead with refreshment and a renewed sense of spirit, all because I took God at His word and observed a day of rest.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can realize the importance of rest.

When does my work-ethic make it difficult for me to take some time off?

How do I dishonor God in the way I treat Sunday as any other day?