Living From a Place of Rest: SabbathSample

A Rhythm of Work and Rest Woven into the Fabric of Creation

Are you weary? Stressed? Anxious? Teetering on the edge of burnout or depression? You are not alone.

The Gospel of Matthew records these comforting words from the mouth of Jesus, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30)

So if Jesus's words about offering us an easy yoke are true (and I believe they are), why does my life (and maybe yours) feel so hard? Why does my burden feel heavy and exhausting? Truth be told, sometimes I read these words from Jesus, look at my life, and wonder if I am missing something.

Is it possible that part of what we are missing is the regular practice of the Sabbath? Over the next few days, we will explore what the Bible says about the Sabbath and what it means for our lives today. We will also consider how observing the Sabbath allows us to be more present in the moment—present with God, ourselves, and others.

So what exactly is the Sabbath?

To answer this question, we need to go all the way back to the beginning of the Bible, where God first introduced it as part of the Creation account. In Genesis 1, God begins to speak His Creation into existence. He created the heavens and the earth and separated the light from the darkness. He separated the water from the dry land and put the sun, moon, and stars into their place. He breathed life into all living creatures. And in His final work of Creation, He created man and woman in His own image. Stepping back from His creative work, God declared that it was very good.

Sandwiched between the first six days of the creation account and the story of Adam and Eve are the first references to the concept of Sabbath rest. Genesis 2:1-3 says, "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation."

So why did God choose to rest? Was He exhausted? Was the seventh day, which He blessed and declared holy, an afterthought? No, in fact, God was establishing a rhythm of six days of work and one day of rest into the fabric of creation.

But before we dive into how practicing the Sabbath can help us be more present in the moment, let's consider these three questions to help us get a pulse on how we are doing in the area of "rest."

1. Do you regularly feel anxious, exhausted, or over-scheduled?

2. Do you feel hurried and unsettled even when you have nowhere in particular to be?

3. Is your spiritual life primarily defined by doing things for God instead of being with God?

Take a minute to re-read those questions and consider where you really are. As you sit with the answers, know that God will meet you right where you are, not where you think you should be.

Tomorrow we will look closer at how, by God's grace, practicing the spiritual discipline of the Sabbath can help us be more present in the moment with God.