Wrapping it all up – observing the sabbath in a 24/7 world

Over the last few weeks, I’ve talked about the example God set for us about observing the sabbath from the time of creation; the command to both remember and observe the sabbath in all the different ways that may mean for us – a command that wasn’t done away with by Jesus. In fact, Jesus affirmed both the letter and spirit of the commandment to keep the sabbath. And last week I spent a little time talking about the need for ordained ministers to keep the sabbath, even if it’s on a different day than most others.

But where does that leave everyone else? Especially for those who work unimaginable hours just to meet the basic requirements of life, the sabbath seems like a luxury. I would be remiss if I didn’t make a point here that I first heard in a seminary class I recently completed – sabbath will cost you something.

Now don’t get me wrong, I am not suggesting that anyone should go hungry or let their bills go unpaid in the observance of sabbath. And you’d be right; there is a certain privilege and luxury that seems to accompany the sabbath. But at the risk of incurring everyone’s wrath, have you considered the things to which you’ve unwittingly made yourself a slave that are robbing you of the opportunity for a sabbath? I won’t attempt to list out what those things are - that’s a personal inquiry and, frankly, it’s none of my business.

I will however note that particularly in the western hemisphere we have succumbed to a ‘grind culture’ that not only normalizes but glorifies the overly busy. We teach it to our children with the extracurricular activities we teach them they need to have to be competitive on their college admissions applications. Our society expects it of us with forty-hour workweeks that more often than not become fifty- or sixty-hour workweeks, and sometimes even more. Technology has made us more accessible and efficient than ever, and unlike the expectations of the past, that efficiency hasn’t led to shorter workdays or workweeks, it’s only led to a thirst for more work-product.

We’ve even programmed it into how we read the Bible, turning the creation story on its head to emphasize the six days of work over the one day of rest and make the sabbath something to be taken only when earned and squeezed in only when possible.

But all I’ve done so far is rehearse the problem and you’re waiting for me to give you an answer. Well, on that score I’m afraid I’m going to fail you. At a minimum I’ll fail you because I’m in the same boat as you. I wake up going sixty miles an hour and I don’t slow down until I throw myself into bed at night. I’ve been overprogrammed for about as long as I can remember. But I’m working to get better, and the first step has been acknowledging that I need the sabbath. It’s not merely a nicety, and if I’m going to live the life God intends for me the sabbath will have to be a part of it. The second step is being intentional. I’m going to have to make keeping the sabbath a priority. That means saying no to some things so that I can say yes to God and God’s gifts. I hope that I’ve given you just enough reasons to come along on this journey with me. It won’t be quick and I’ll probably have some failures along the way, but I’m going to get up, dust myself off, and try again.

And because I’m no expert I’m going to give you a list of some resources I’ve encountered from experts who I’ve found helpful and I hope you will as well.

·       Tricia Hersey, Rest is Resistance: Free Yourself from Grind Culture and Reclaim Your Life

·       Abraham Heschel, The Sabbath

·       Walter Brueggerman, Sabbath as Resistance: Saying No to a Culture of Now

·       Marva Dawn, Keeping the Sabbath Wholly: Ceasing, Resting, Embracing, Feasting

·       MaryAnn McKibben-Dana, Sabbath in the Suburbs: A Family’s Experiment with Holy Time

·       Matthew Sleeth, M.D., 24/6: A Prescription for a Healthier, Happier Life

I hope you’ve enjoyed this venture into the sabbath as much as I have. Come back next week when I’ll start in on the sacrament of baptism and the baptismal vows as established in the Episcopal Church.

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord!