SABBATH

So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy because on it God rested from all his work he had done in creation.

Genesis 2.3

Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a convocation. You shall do no work. It is a Sabbath to the Lord in your dwelling places.

Leviticus 23.3

If you love me you will keep my commandments

John 14. 15

Jesus said to them, “The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath.

Mark 2.27

To me, Sabbath comes under the category of ‘self-care’ and the harder we work the more we need it. I read recently that those who work on an empty tank achieve far less than those who take regular breaks, rest and restore themselves, before continuing on with their tasks.  Not many of us perform well when exhausted – our brains feel foggy and mistakes are made. Adrenaline may help keep one going but there is a risk of burnout and poor health in the longterm.

All pretty depressing,  especially if you actually have found the time to read this, but know you are working far too hard because you have no other choice. In the long run it is not sustainable to keep pushing people too hard. Everyone has a breaking point.  It’s not just the exhausted person who suffers; its those they live with and work alongside, as tempers easily flare, or depression and anxiety set in due to the increased stress.

When God made the world he worked extremely hard for six days and then on the seventh day he rested. That pattern of work and rest is one he advocates for us all. It doesn’t mean Sunday has to be our Sabbath day. Jesus was known to heal and cast out demons on the Sabbath. But we also know, when exhausted , he took himself off into the wilderness to find peace and quiet and to recharge his batteries.

When our family were growing up I always felt I couldn’t have a Sabbath as I was so involved with church that Sunday was as busy a day as any other. I look back with slight regret that I didn’t take God’s commandment seriously.  I realise now I could have chosen any day of the week to be my Sabbath and organise things accordingly, so that, even if practically I couldn’t enjoy Sabbath for 24hrs, I could give myself a few hours to restore my spirits.  Maybe find time for silence and listening to that still small voice deep within, that could be God speaking. Enjoying the pleasure of a good book or taking myself off on a long walk. Had I observed Sabbath I think I would have had more patience and kindness within me to face the tasks of the day and be more loving to those around me.

So I think God gave us Sabbath for a reason – to have time to appreciate and give thanks for his amazing creation. To take time to think and to be, rather than feel we have to be doing all the time. I have met many people over the years who have guilt complexes about not working hard enough and feel guilty when they take time out to relax.

Being retired I have the luxury now of Sabbath which not everyone does. Perhaps the point of this post is to get us thinking about how life could be post pandemic, when the crisis is over and we are establishing a new ‘normal’. Recognising the wisdom of a Sabbath day may give a rhythm to our life that ensures we are both well rested and equipped to face the challenges of the week ahead.