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Keeping the Sabbath
Author: Stephanie Stewart
I recently participated in a triathlon. To the best of my ability I swam, biked, and ran for nearly two hours. After the race I recall not wanting to do much of anything except rest. I realized in way I never had before that the human body has its limits. It must rest. By the same token, souls also need to be refreshed. The endless need to concentrate on earthly affairs can drain our spiritual energy. God designed the Sabbath to give us refreshment in both body and soul. A good deal of refreshment comes to us as we seek to gain a proper perspective on the affairs of this world. Consider what Abraham Heschel observed about the Sabbath:
Six days a week we live under the tyranny of things of space, on the Sabbath we try to become attuned to the holiness in time. It is a day on which we are called upon to share in what is eternal in time, to turn from the results of creation to the mystery of creation; from the world of creation to the creation of the world” (cited in Garland 123).
In Mark 3:4 Jesus asks, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” We usually think of the Christian day of rest as mainly a day of ceasing from activity. But Jesus seems to imply that it is also a day to do certain things, good things. This makes a lot of sense if we think about how energizing it is to perform acts of love for others. This is another way to find refreshment.
In short, God created the Sabbath for his people to take time and focus on him and doing good (Mark 3:4). This is truly a wonderful gift that we often forfeit simply because we are no longer under the Mosaic law and do not want to be “legalistic.” The Pharisees were trying to distort this beautiful gift by burdening people with traditions, rules, and regulations. They were doing exactly the opposite of what the Lord intended. It is not simply about following carefully drawn up rules. Nor is it only about cessation of activity. It is also about how we can help those in need and how pondering the mystery of God and his works can refresh us. So seek restoration from the Lord. Make a resolution to take at least one day each week to refresh your body and soul.
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