How To ThriveSample

How To Survive THRIVE - Physically

Day 4: Sabbath

How do I emphasize the importance of rest in our lives if we want to thrive physically?  Rest improves our productivity.  It boosts our immune systems, it improves concentration, it slows the aging process… just Google it.  The research is astounding.  But it seems that our society sees it differently.  We celebrate those who work 7 days a week and sleep 4 hours a night as superstars!

I love that from the very beginning God set up a pattern for living that will help us thrive in this crazy world.  Six days of work and one day of rest.  We call this the Sabbath, which in Hebrew is Shabbat.  It means… you guessed it… rest.  Sabbath started at sun down the day before.  It meant that you started winding down early so you could get a good night's rest going into your Sabbath.  

The Old Testament Jews went crazy with this idea.  They made all kinds of rules and regulations around the sabbath.  By the time of Jesus there were like 600 different regulations around what you could do and what you couldn’t do on the Sabbath.  

Jesus came along and helped them to realize that they were missing the point.  It’s not about some kind of law, it is a rhythm of life that is meant to help us thrive!   The point isn’t which day of the week (my Sabbath is Friday) or what you do or don’t do - the point is to rest, to find ways to re-energize and to recharge.  

Do you have a day of rest built into the rhythm of your life?  

If you don’t, then I would highly recommend that you consider some changes.  Decide which day it will be and call it your Sabbath.  (Sometimes giving it a name is helpful).  Then start to look at how you spend your day.  Let your colleagues know that you don’t answer emails or texts on that day.  Let the laundry go until the next day.  Find ways to be restful and relational.  Do the things that help you recharge.  

Six days of work and one day of rest.  It will change your life!

Written by Skip Collins | uMhlanga Campus Pastor