Devin Strong
Spirit of Peace Lutheran Church
Last summer I preached a four-part sermon series on the need for Sabbath in our lives. If I could get away with it, I think that I would preach that same sermon series every year until we all get it, but perhaps it is enough to reprise three of the key themes here, now that we are again deep in the summer season. This is definitely a “Do as I say, not as I do” message. I still struggle to maintain a healthy work/ life balance. I could learn a lot from my son Oliver on this score. What follows are words for me as much as they are words from me.
To begin with, rest is not a sin. Rest is built into the fabric of creation. You and I live in a culture that praises productivity above all else. We reward people who work the hardest and never say, “No.” We see it as a badge of honor when we finally collapse from exhaustion, but this lifestyle leads to the worst kind of idolatry. It makes us think that that we, alone, are indispensable. The Bible declares that even God rests on the seventh day, so why in the world can’t we?!
Making room for Sabbath is a tangible act of protest in a world that values what we do more than who we are! Yes, everyone needs meaningful work where they can use their God-given gifts, but work and rest are created for a symbiotic relationship. Good rest makes us better at our work, and good work completed makes rest more meaningful.
Next, Sabbath is not only about you; it is also about God. Some people are good at taking naps or vegging out in front of the TV, and those things have their place, but true Sabbath is not just about renewal for your body and mind. Sabbath is also for the renewal of your spirit. We desperately need time away from all the noise of email and social media, traffic and endless advertising to reflect on whose we are and what we are called to be about. Are you spending your days in the most meaningful way that you can? Are you doing your best to follow God’s leading in your life? How can you know if you never pause to think about such things?! Sabbath tradition for Jews includes time for quiet walks and long meals with good friends.
Finally, Sabbath is about Reorientation. We have a natural instinct to vacation in the mountains or on the beach, to visit a new city or a great national park. That’s good because it is very hard for us mortals to do things differently in the same old space. Very often we need a new environment to gain a new perspective. At its best Sabbath is more than recharging. It is also revisioning. At the same time, the biggest problem with a new location is that we bring our old selves with us, if we are not careful. We reorient ourselves by looking at the people, places, and things around us differently. Sabbath means seeing new beauty in old things, new possibilities in familiar people, and new avenues to the usual problems.