Sabbath

I've been thinking a lot lately about the Sabbath - not as a Saturday or Sunday or "church" day but as a day of rest. It occurs to me occasionally that I don't take enough time to just chill, to do nothing of "significance", to do nothing in a hurry.

NewSpring Church has just added a 6 PM service at the Greenville campus. At least once every 3 weeks I will be serving on the Production Team for all 3 services - 9:15, 11:15 and 6:00. Because of logistics, on the days I serve, I don't go home between the morning and evening services. I go eat lunch and hang out at Barnes & Noble or some similar place. But on the days I DON'T serve, I observe a Sabbath - from mid afternoon on Saturday, after the grandkids go home, until mid afternoon on Sunday. I don't turn on the TV but I do read or listen to music and sing. I usually put my phone on vibrate so I don't hear it. I don't run errands or do anything really but rest.

When God instituted the Sabbath, he declared it to be a day when the Israelites would do no work at all, not even build a fire. He even declared a Sabbath for the land. After 6 years of crops and harvesting, the land was to sit idle for a year. God promised to provide enough crops in year six to last 3 years...to be eaten during year 6, during the year of rest (year 7) and the year of planting new crops (year 8). Then by year 9 the people would be harvesting food from the land again.

Seems times of rest were important in God's scheme of things. Jesus said the Sabbath was made for man. During the week, I do lots of stuff after work like volunteering, shopping and house cleaning just so I can have times when I don't have to do anything. Maybe it's easier for me now because I am single and older and my son is grown. Maybe I just need my rest more. But I am also reminded of Psalm 46:10. Most people know this verse as "Be still and know that I am God" but I like this translation. Cease striving. Isn't striving what I do so much of? Striving to get ahead; striving to meet deadlines; striving to pay the bills; striving to meet the needs of family and friends. Always doing, always busy. But God says REST! Cease striving - for only then will I know that He is God.