Sabbath.
It means seven and is where the word Saturday originated. It also means rest. Or, perhaps, first, it means rest. It is on the seventh day that the Lord looked out on all He spoke into being and smiled. And then rested. Some good R&R was just what the doctor ordered. For the Lord, and for you.
What does Sabbath look like for you?
This holy word is about far more than doing nothing. It is about being filled and restored. It is about tuning the rhythm of your heart to the beating of your Father’s. Sabbath is about filling your tank.
And, let’s be honest, all of our tanks have been running on empty lately.
Running on fumes is the norm these days. This post-Covid world has exposed another pandemic of sorts. Humanity has lost the art of getting refueled and refreshed. Burned out and used up is far more prevalent of a reality.
What fills your tank?
Lots of things give you fuel. There are many ways to recharge your soul. And many of them are really good. The art of Sabbath-ing is not the art of sitting in a dark room and contemplating the things of God. It can mean that; and perhaps, at times, ought to involve silence and reflection.
However, Sabbath can also mean going for a hike; playing a board game with your family; taking a drive; cooking in the kitchen: or working in the shop. Sabbath rest is about tapping into the way that God wired you and finding a way to recharge. It always finds its locus in the Lord. But it doesn’t always mean sitting.
That’s the thing with these 40 days of Lent. 40 days echo the time of Jesus in the wilderness. For 40 days our Lord sought communion with the Father. Over the course of these 40 days, do the same. Seek to connect. Draw close. Lean in. Dwell with.
Throughout Jesus’ ministry, in the midst of healings and teachings, Jesus found time—no! He made time—to be with His Father. This was our Lord’s Sabbath. This was His rest.
Go and do likewise. What fills you? Go and do that. But don’t do so wantonly. Do it with a posture that expects the Almighty to make Himself known.
On your hike, admire the Creator as much as the creation. Playing a board game, recognize the Image of God that is evident in your loved ones—and call attention to it. Going for a drive, sing a song of praise. Roll the window down and pray that the Spirit might blow as mightily as the wind upon your face. Are you making a meal? Contemplate the bread of life while you knead the dough. Fixing something in the shop? What is the Lord fixing in you?
You see, Sabbath is all about rest. But mostly this rest is about resting in the arms of your Father in heaven. And letting Him fill your cup.
Happy Sabbath-ing. May you be rejuvenated and filled. Because there is Good Work yet to be done.
