Rest for Your Souls: Sabbath

When was the last time that you really felt rested? I don’t mean, when did you sleep in and were not tired. I mean, when did you feel at peace with yourself and the world? When did you feel there is nothing more to do or to achieve?

If I am really honest, very seldom do I really feel rested. It’s really hard for me to rest. In a world that is constantly asking for more, “Do more, achieve more, work more, consume more," finding rest is really hard.

Jesus, who was Jewish, grew up in a society that practiced the Sabbath, a day of rest once per week. He lived in a time when the religious leaders (also called the Pharisees) defined what was and was not allowed on the Sabbath. In Matthew 12:9-11, some Pharisees asked Jesus if it was right to heal a man on the Sabbath. He answered “If you had a sheep that fell into a well on the Sabbath, wouldn’t you work to pull it out? Of course you would. And how much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Yes, the law permits a person to do good on the Sabbath.” And then Jesus healed the man.

As I read this text, I think the Pharisees did not get the point of the Sabbath. Sabbath originally means, “to stop,” or even, “to delight,” in Hebrew*. It means a day on which we stop doing, achieving, working, consuming etc., but actually take the time to delight and enjoy life, to experience things that are life giving. We actually need this kind of rest to recharge so that we don’t burn out.

*For a great introduction to Sabbath, check out John Mark Comer’s book The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry

Jesus understood this. Another time He said, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27). The Pharisees made the Sabbath a set of rules; something to fulfill rather than something that is to be enjoyed. They forgot how life giving the act of healing was for this man. They valued fulfilling the rules more than experiencing a moment that gave this man the joyful chance of new life.

How does this relate to us today? We do not really have any restrictions about our weekends that tell us what to do and what not to do. But doesn’t it feel a bit like we are constantly driven? Maybe we feel like we need to fulfill expectations, the ones of others or our own. Maybe we want to perform well at our job, or we think we will be happier if we can buy this or that or we want to make our loved ones proud.

I don’t think this is bad per se, but do we actually take the time to rest enough to enjoy the things we have? What gives us true joy and life?

For me personally, it means taking Jesus’ definition of Sabbath seriously: sleeping in, reading a book, having a good meal, being in community, praying and connecting with God - in short: things that bring me joy and life.

I encourage you to explore and experience Jesus’ definition of Sabbath. I think God has so many ways of blessing us and giving us joy every day. Are we open to receiving and delighting in them?

If you are interested in exploring the Christian way of experiencing life and joy through sabbath rest, come join us at our next Biergarten Chat on 10.10. in Prater Biergarten.