Sabbatismos

"Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work."

Exodus 20:8-9

no, the title is not some reference to discrimination against people who celebrate the Sabbath. It is, as we discussed this past Sunday, the Greek word in Hebrews 4:9 most translators render in English as "sabbath rest". The writer of Hebrews marks this distinct and special kind of rest by associating it with God's completion of work at the beginning of Genesis 2, as well as David's implication in Psalm 95 that God promises a kind of rest to his people that is even greater than the one given to them when they entered the promised land after wandering in the wilderness for forty years. The writer of Hebrews argues that this kind of rest is finally made possible through the work of Jesus Christ on our behalf.

We also discussed the fact that, even for followers of Christ, the Sabbath is somewhat of a foreign concept, either in practice or in theory. To be frank, there are many who haven't really thought that seriously about taking one day out of seven and setting it aside for God. If you're in that category, I strongly encourage you to make keeping the Sabbath a part of your core weekly routine. Among other things, it is, after all, one of the ten essential instructions God gives to his people in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5.

(As I prepared to write this post, I think that one of the reasons why this is so has to do with how we as humans approach work, most notably how we often find our identity in it. Yet who we are isn't primarily about doing, but being. Even when we refrain from producing or co-creating our identities should remain steady: beloved children of God, created in his image, made holy through his redeeming work on the cross).

But there also those of us, myself included, who have tried to set aside one day out of seven for God, yet find it difficult to put into practice. Perhaps it's our packed schedules, perhaps it's simply a lack of motivation to do anything but the most basic distractions when we do get a day off. Whatever the reason, keeping the Sabbath isn't quite a reality in our lives.

With this in mind, I'd like to share two quotes that I think can help us see some important things about the Sabbath, followed by a set of resources that might make keeping it a bit easier:

"Both of these two extremes, however, miss the heart of the Sabbath. Biblical Sabbath-keeping is an act of trust, a recognition that we can cease our labors for one day a week and the world will not come crashing down around us. It is a reminder that we are small and limited, but God is infinitely big. Keeping Sabbath is a way to affirm that our lives depend not on our own efforts and strivings but rather on God's grace and care."

- "A Guided Sabbath", McDonald and Sivits

"If there is no Sabbath- no regular and commanded not-working, not-talking — we soon become totally absorbed in what we are doing and saying, and God’s work is either forgotten or marginalized. When we work we are most god-like, which means that it is in our work that it is easier to develop god-pretensions. Un-sabbathed, our work becomes the entire context in which we define our lives. We lose God-consciousness, God-awareness, sightings of resurrection."

- "Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places", Eugene Peterson

Here is an array of resources to help us do this:

http://www.intervarsity.org/gfm/resource/a-guided-sabbath
http://www.calvin.edu/faith/resources/faculty/sabbath/
http://www.intervarsity.org/slj/article/1481
http://www.wrfd.com/1464310/print/
http://www.practicingourfaith.org/prct_keeping_ways_ideas.html

I've included some ideas adapted from the first link for how to celebrate the Sabbath:

1. Use the following (they're at the end of this post) reflection questions to guide you in a time of meditation and/or journaling.
2. Keep an hour (or more) of silence. Reflect on how you've recently heard God speak to you.
3. Spend time in "quiet space".
4. Attend worship.
5. Spend time at a "creative space".
6. Take an unhurried, attentive walk outside.
7. Take a nap.
8. Visit a museum.
9. Read a nourishing book.
10. Exercise or go swimming, and rejoice over how good it feels to have a body.
11. Memorize a brief Scripture passage.
12. Write a psalm of thankfulness to God.
13. Write a note of encouragement and appreciation to a friend.
14. Gather with friends to share stories of God's grace.

Sabbath Reflection Guide

Ceasing

1. In some Jewish families, it is customary to have a Sabbath box to hold items not needed on the Sabbath, such as car keys or wallets. Someone stands at the entrance of the house, holding the box, and as people come in for the start of Sabbath observance, they place in the box whatever items they know shouldn't accompany them into the sacred space.

You might find it helpful to imagine your own "Sabbath box." What preoccupations or fears or undone work do you need to leave behind as you enter the sacred space of this Sabbath? Visualize placing all these things into a box. You might then want to visualize handing this box to Jesus to hold for you while you are on Sabbath retreat.

2. Spend some time meditating on Matthew 11:28-30.

What heavy burdens are you or have you been carrying?

What kind(s) of rest do you long for?

Ask Jesus to give you such rest during your Sabbath today.

Seeing

1. In Deut. 5:12-15, the stated reason for the command to "Observe the Sabbath day" is that God brought the Israelites out of the bondage of slavery in Egypt, and so the Sabbath is to be a day of freedom for everyone-whatever one's social status. In the gospels, we see Jesus pick up on this theme of freedom, particularly as he performs many healings on the Sabbath.

Read the story of one such healing in Luke 13:10-17. Now reread the story, imagining yourself in the shoes of one of the characters.

What do you see and hear as the story unfolds? What surprises you?

What emotions do you feel? How do you want to respond to Jesus?

2. Take some time now to reflect on your own life.

What has been going on recently in your journey with God? In your relationships with others? In your work?

What insights, experiences, or Scriptures have become channels for God's love and grace to you?

Are there areas in your life that you need to bring to Jesus for his healing touch?

Celebrating

Read Psalm 92, which is titled "A Song for the Sabbath Day," and notice how it calls us into rejoicing.

What reasons do you have for giving thanks to the Lord? How have you been experiencing and witnessing God's steadfast love and faithfulness?

Compose a prayer or psalm to express your thanksgiving and joy to God. Include specific examples of what God has done for you, and try to create imagery that captures your feelings. Pray your psalm to God; if you're alone, read (or sing) it aloud.

Is there someone with whom you can share your psalm and so multiply praise to the Lord? Look for ways this afternoon to join with others in praising God.