It was as I was in the midst of looking up whether putting up a Christmas tree in some way broke the Sabbath that I realized it was, yes, quite possible learning to celebrate the Sabbath would actually be a process; and amusement would be part of it, at least for me.
If you grew up in the church and you and your family members were actively involved, you might admit that though we regarded Sundays as our Sabbath, they were not a day of rest. This bothered me for a very long time until I finally decided to not fight the busyness of being an active church member on Sundays and to honor the Sabbath Day as it had been in the Old Testament: on Saturday. So began a lovely discovery.
You see, if I was to actually rest on Saturday, that meant I would need to get all of my work done before then, and that meant that procrastination was not the happy-go-lucky, jokey, old friend it normally was. At first, I piled most things onto Friday. By the time sundown rolled around I was exhausted. So then I began to parcel the work out so that poor Friday wouldn’t end up looking like a frothing horse galloping the last mile of the pony express. It worked! And do you know what? I actually got more done than I usually did. I found extra little things to do that I might’ve otherwise left alone. I cleaned closets – that sort of thing. And then the Sabbath! Ahhh!
But there are times when doing something which disrupts the Sabbath rest seems very important. It is those times I’ve learned to lean on several marker stones given in the Bible. First, my memory is drawn to the women after the crucifixion of Jesus. And though preparing His body must’ve seemed paramount, what did they do? They waited that extra day because it was the Sabbath. What honorable examples to us they are! A second reference I lean on is when Jesus says, “Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” What a helpful thing to say! And when I must do work to help someone, I also remember what Jesus said as recorded in Luke: “And He said to them, “Which one of you will have a son or an ox fall into a well, and will not immediately pull him out on a Sabbath day?” His comment is so helpful.
Another perspective I remember is one of working out our own salvation with fear and trembling. That is to say, that shadow of things to come is given to us with a caution to not concern ourselves with someone else’s judgement of our efforts. And as one who is still (and let’s be honest – always will be) learning, I appreciate the permission given in that scripture.
I look forward to the Sabbath every single week. It’s like a mini vacation! And if something is amiss – too bad. It’s the Sabbath. I’m resting. Zero guilt.
When God instituted the Sabbath (Genesis 2:2, Exodus 20:8-11, Leviticus 23:3, Deuteronomy 5:14), He was showing us the loveliness of balance and enjoyment. But He also holds out a promise for the future when we read “There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God.” It seems to me it will be a beautiful time of relishing the gloriousness of our Creator in His perfect creation. I, myself, picture myself surrounded by nature without a storm in sight. My little holiday every week is a sweet little taste of the delight to come. Join me!
Deuteronomy 5:14 – but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns, so that your male and female servants may rest, as you do.; Hebrews 10: 25 – Do not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.; Mark 2:27 – Then He said to them, “Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.”; Luke 14:5 – And He said to them, “Which one of you will have a son or an ox fall into a well, and will not immediately pull him out on a Sabbath day?”; Colossians 2:16-17 – Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.; Hebrews 4:9 – There remains then a Sabbath-rest for the people of God.