T. Allen Burr Ministries

The original article was adapted for print in PMG newspapers in Southwest Indiana and Southeast Illinois. This is a revisitation of the topic.

“As we keep or break the Sabbath Day we nobly save or meanly lose the last best hope by which man rises.”

Abraham Lincoln

The Sabbath. So often, we busy ourselves with rote actions: we read a devotional, we read a passage from the Bible, or we pray—out of obligation instead of devotion. But we very rarely practice rest . In my last post, I considered the nature of the Sabbath and what it means for us to honor and keep it. I stated 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. So, in participating in the Sabbath, we need to set firm boundaries that separate that day from work.

And still, there is a spiritual side to this practice, as should be obvious. Practicing Sabbath is not simply for rest of the body; keeping the Sabbath should rejuvenate the mind, spirit, and soul, as well. As President Lincoln once said, “As we keep or break the Sabbath Day we nobly save or meanly lose the last best hope by which man rises.” We are not built to work nonstop. We are not built to go, go, go without ceasing. We are called to rest. The author of the letter to the Hebrews wrote:

“There is a special rest still waiting for the people of God. For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world. So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall.”

Hebrews 4:9-10

If we disobey God, if we fail to keep the Sabbath, we will fall. By keeping the Sabbath, we help maintain not only our physical wellbeing but our mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing, as well. The Sabbath isn’t just an Old Testament practice that should be forgotten. It’s a spiritual practice that Jesus and the Apostles preached.

“Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.’”

Matthew 11:28-29

Jesus promises us rest. We can only enter that rest by setting aside our work for a time and embracing the Sabbath. The Sabbath is one of God’s original creations. If even God rested from His work (regardless of the anthropomorphic nature of that statement), then we are certainly not above resting. We are able to rise above our sinful nature through