Pastor’s Note

 Sabbath: Establishing Rhythms of Work and Rest

If you are feeling a little tired this month, know that you are not alone. December has a way of doing that to us. We rush from one gathering to the next, from shopping lists to school concerts, from extra church services to extra expectations. December certainly tests our theology of rest. We sing about peace on earth while running on fumes. We proclaim Emmanuel, that God is indeed with us, while barely being present ourselves. If we are honest, many of us enter January spiritually grateful and emotionally exhausted. All of this raises an important question for us today in a brand-new year about how we live our lives as people of faith: What does God intend for us when it comes to rest?

This Sunday, we are going to talk about Sabbath, not as a rule to follow or a religious obligation to keep, but as a gift God gives to tired people. A rhythm of grace. A holy interruption that reminds us we are more than what we produce, more than what we accomplish, and more than what we can get done in a week.

Sabbath comes from the Hebrew word shabbat, which comes from the root Shin-Bet-Tav, meaning “to cease, to end, or to rest.” But Sabbath is so much more than just ceasing from our work; Sabbath invites us to cease from our work so that we can remember God’s work.  The very first thing called holy in the Bible is Sabbath, the seventh day where God ceases His creation work. God first rested from His work so that He could celebrate the work that had already been accomplished, which was bringing order to chaos. Jesus celebrated the Sabbath often in the Gospels by bringing restoration: Jesus healed a man with a withered hand, a man born blind, and a crippled woman, just to name a few. All these restorations occurred on the Sabbath day because Sabbath is not only ceasing from work, but it is also a celebration of restoration. We celebrate the ultimate restoration on Easter Sunday, the day where Jesus restored our broken relationship with God the Father by conquering the grave. Therefore, true Sabbath is not only about resting and ceasing from work, it is also very much a celebration of God’s redemptive, healing power in our lives. True Sabbath is realized in the work done by Jesus Christ for us.

One of my New Year’s resolutions is to remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy, not as an obligation, but as a gift. My prayer is that this coming year, we might all rediscover Sabbath as a gracious invitation to rest, renew, trust, and be restored in the presence of our God. How might God be inviting you into Sabbath this year?