Balance is an illusion. Life is too unpredictable to balance. A better biblical goal is to live a life in rhythm. Athletes understand the need for a pre-season and off-season. So do accountants and politicians. Even nature’s seasons and cycles remind us of God’s rhythm.
Jesus demonstrated how our lives can be in a healthy rhythm between life and vocation. We see Him oscillating between work and rest. Sometimes He would encourage the crowds to stay and eat, heal one more person, or pray all night. Other times He would retreat to the lakes, mountains, or wilderness for rest and renewal. One time Jesus even slept through a life-threatening storm. Why? Because He was tired!
A healthy Sabbath lifestyle includes seasons of intense work, followed by periods of intentional rest. Rhythm is a series of sprints and recoveries. A life of work and rest and worship is an abundant life. Jesus wants and expects us to live abundantly and fully.
So the heavens, the earth and everything in them were completed. By the seventh day God completed His work that He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work that He had done. God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, for on it He rested from His work of creation (Genesis 2:1-3).
“CHRISTIAN SABBATH”
Sunday is usually the best time to observe the Sabbath, but not for everyone. Many first responders need to work on Sundays. Apparently criminals like to work on weekends also. Medical professionals can’t all rest on Sunday either, can they? Shift-work is common in many professions. Do these weekend workers get a pass on rest and worship? No – they just need to be more creative and determined than most believers do.
Sabbath is a practical plan that works. Flexibility is the key.
Actually, the New Testament never mentions Sunday as a “Christian Sabbath.” Many first century Christians chose to worship on Sundays because it was the day of Jesus’ resurrection. It was decreed as official, not by Scripture, but by Emperor Constantine early in the fourth century. Some early Christians worshiped on Saturday, others on Sunday, and some on other days of the week.
A literal Sabbath is simply stopping one full day a week to rest and worship instead of catching up or getting a head start. Sundays in the USA are still the most conventional and convenient time to worship for the majority. The key is flexibility, mixed with a healthy dose of obedience.
DISCONNECTING
Sabbath rest is more than slowing down. It is more than a speed-bump for you to work away from the office at a more leisurely pace. Remember that Sabbath literally means to STOP. Sabbath gives us the freedom to disengage from our work so that we can re-engage with our faith, family and friends. For a literal 24 hours, we can and should disconnect from the normal workload so that we can reconnect with those we are working to support.
You might agree with the “should,” but are not convinced about the “can.” I admit it is hard to succeed in our culture without working harder than the next person. You likely experience pressure to be productive and it is hard to stop working when you are falling farther behind each week. Add to that, most of us have cell-phones, smart-phones, computers and/or tablets that give us around the clock access to our business life.
About the only way that I can disconnect from my job is to turn it on “airplane mode.” I have to disable my devices at home before they disable me! It sounds drastic, even punitive, but I’d rather be connecting with my faith, family and friends than with my job on my day off. I strongly believe that is what God expects of me also.
Burnout is not a result of working too hard, it’s a result of resting too little.
FAITH & HUMILITY
Consistent Sabbath keeping requires a generous amount of humility and faith. To take Sabbath seriously, we will have to right-size the importance of our roles at work, home and church. The pressure to produce will meet you at almost every attempt, so be prepared to have your resolve regularly tested.
If you are among my many driven friends who are eager to become emancipated from their crazy calendars, know that you are not alone and that God will empower you to do what He instructs you to do.
