Rhythm of Sabbath
“8 All things are wearisome, more than one can say. The eye never has enough of seeing, nor the ear its fill of hearing.” —Ecclesiastes 1:8
“I can’t get no satisfaction
I can’t get no satisfaction
‘Cause I try, and I try, and I try, and I try
I can’t get no, I can’t get no” —The Rolling Stones“11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” —Ecclesiastes 3:11
Desire is only satisfied when our desire is put in its proper place.
We don’t purchase sabbath. We partake sabbath when we stop.
“12 When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.” —Genesis 4:12
“Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array.2 By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.” —Genesis 2:1-3
“8 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” —Exodus 20:8-11
“27 Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” —Mark 2:27-28
“28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” —Matthew 11:28-30
“28-30 “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” —Matthew 11:28-30 (MSG, paraphrase)
Stop. Rest. Delight. Worship.
“People who sabbath live all seven days differently.” —– Walter Bruegmann
Rest is a weapon. Rest is a rhythm. Rest is a promise.