Sabbath

I've been thinking quite a bit about the Sabbath lately. I have to admit taking a Sabbath day every week isn't something I've always done. There have been seasons when I did, but slowly but surely, my commitment to taking a day set apart would fade.

Recently I re-committed to taking a Sabbath day a week. One day completely void of work and filled with a combination of rest and time spent with people and God. I don't do this because I believe it's a requirement to get into heaven or something that we as Christians have to do, but I do it because I believe that the reason God instituted it is because He knew it has great value for us. Not only just for rest in our busy worlds, but also as a good reminder of who is in control at the end of the day. As Peter Scazzero wrote in Emotionally Healthy Spiritually,

"We stop on Sabbaths because God is on the throne, assuring us the world will not fall apart if we cease our activities."

So last Sunday instead of catching up on work or undertaking a project or scratching an item from my to-do list, I just took a time out from it all. I enjoyed a challenging church service, then went out with friends for lunch afterwards. In the afternoon I spent time thinking about that mornings service. I took a rest, played some video games, and did some reading. The after supper I spent some time with my family, watching our first Christmas movie of the season. It was a very enjoyable day that recharged me. And sadly, it was filled with things I would have missed out on if I was still pursing my to-do list or trying to fill my time with things I view as being "productive".

All in all I agree with what Andrew Wylie said: "The Sabbath is the link between the paradise which has passed away, and the paradise which is yet to come."