T. Allen Burr Ministries

Bishop Michael Curry’s Way of Love teaching is inspiring. When I started listening to it, I began with the episode discussing the practice of rest. This is one of the least practiced spiritual disciplines and perhaps one of the most important.

I have to share this one quote that struck me:

“Put down your crossword, drink your cup of coffee, and just be with Jesus.”

Kyler Oliver, co-host of The Way of Love podcast

We can often busy ourselves with rote actions: reading a devotional, reading a passage from the Bible, and praying—all out of obligation instead of devotion. But we very rarely practice rest (or listening, which rest helps facilitate). Yet by failing to rest, are we not failing to keep one of the 10 Commandments?

Sabbath

Where do Christians get this idea of the Sabbath? The story of the Sabbath comes from the beginning. At the end of the first story of creation, God rests.

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.

Genesis 2:1–3 (English Standard Version)

The word used for “rest” here is the Hebrew word שָׁבַת֙ (shabbath/shabbat) which many have translated to mean “to cease, rest” or (and this is less common) “to put away.” So, after God completed the magnificent work of creation, He ceased what He was doing. He put away His work. He rested.

Now, saying God rested in the same way we do can be overly anthropomorphic. That is to say that saying God rested can be seen as projecting human conditions on Him. And yet, God intended for this action to be an example for us to follow. This can be seen in His including the command to rest in the 10 Commandments:

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore, the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

Exodus 20:8–11 (ESV)

Honor the Sabbath

When God commanded that we remember the Sabbath and keep it holy, what did He mean? Well, let us take God’s example into consideration. God worked for six days and then on the seventh He rested. Most of us work a standard 9–5 job five to six days of the week, and even those of us lucky enough to only have to work five days still end up spending one day a week trying to catch up on errands and housework.

On day seven, many are trying to get as much done as possible, to squeeze as much productivity out of the weekend as possible. This is not what God intended for us. On day seven, God put away His work. He ceased working. We struggle to do that.

Honoring the Sabbath really begins as an exercise in setting boundaries for ourselves. For the majority of the week, our time and attention is consumed by work of one kind or another. In participating in the Sabbath, we need to set firm boundaries that separate that day from work.

Practicing the Sabbath

This, of course, does not mean that we have to refrain from doing anything all day, as this would be overly legalistic. What, then, should we do? Turning to the Word once again, we find the answer.

For six years you shall sow your land and gather in its yield, but the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, that the poor of your people may eat; and what they leave the beasts of the field may eat. You shall do likewise with your vineyard, and with your olive orchard.

Exodus 23:10–11 (ESV)

For six years you shall sow your field, and for six years you shall prune your vineyard and gather in its fruits, but in the seventh year, there shall be a Sabbath of solemn rest for the land, a Sabbath to the LORD. You shall not sow your field or prune your vineyard. You shall not reap what grows of itself in your harvest, or gather the grapes of your undressed vine. It shall be a year of solemn rest for the land. The Sabbath of the land shall provide food for you, for yourself and for your male and female slaves and for your hired worker and the sojourner who lives with you, and for your cattle and for the wild animals that are in your land: all its yield shall be for food.

Leviticus 25:3–7 (ESV)

What does this have to do with us? The point is this: The purpose of the Sabbath is rejuvenation. The practice of observing the Sabbath is meant to rejuvenate us—body, soul, and spirit. How do we do this? The Sabbath does not necessarily have to be on Sunday, nor does it have to be on Saturday. The Sabbath is a spiritual practice that can be implemented at any time throughout the week.

But what do we do? Simply put: whatever rejuvenates you and helps focus your mind on God and all He has done for you. For some, that may be gardening; for others, it may be going on a run. Whatever your Sabbath action is, it should help your body feel reenergized, your soul feel restored, and your spirit feel revived.

I would challenge us all to take time today to put aside our rote actions and just be with Jesus. Let us practice rest!