Snow, Sleet and Sabbath

With record snowfalls and icy roads many around the USA experienced an unscheduled “Sabbath” last week. Dallas-Fort Worth spent almost the entire week with schools closed.

With record snowfalls and icy roads many around the USA experienced an unscheduled “Sabbath” last week. Dallas-Fort Worth spent almost the entire week with schools closed.

Lots of Facebook entries spoke of late morning coffee and pajamas. Kids cheered with each announcement of another day without school. Meanwhile, my scheduled conference call focused the subject of Sabbath as we discussed the book, Sacred Rhythms by Ruth Haley Barton.

Jesus’ words about the Sabbath to those who made it an unbearable burden echoed in my mind all week, “The Sabbath was made for people, not people for the Sabbath. For this reason the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:27-28) Since in some significant way God provided the Sabbath especially for mankind, why do we often brush aside that gift without thinking in our day?

We hear from God in Ezekiel 20:12, “I also gave them my Sabbaths as a reminder of our relationship, so that they would know that I, the Lord, sanctify them.” Again in Isaiah 58 we are encouraged to “make the Sabbath a delight.” Taking a day of seven to be reminded of our privileged relationship and of His gracious provision for us really makes sense when we stop long enough to consider it.

Would we even know how to make the Sabbath a delight? Do we know what “restores our soul?” Is it really wise to ignore Sabbath simply because of historical and legalistic application of its admonitions? Dan Allender in his book, Sabbath, reminds us “Many who take the Sabbath seriously and intentionally ruin it with legislation and worrisome fences that protect the Sabbath but destroy its delight.”

Most physicians agree that stress contributes in a major way to various illnesses and physical maladies. The phrase 24/7 has become a common descriptor of our pressured and harried lifestyle. I cannot help but wonder how our casual dismissal of Sabbath may contribute to that ongoing stress. If our designer created us not for 24/7 b)ut 24/6, might we do well to heed His advice? (And I’m not sure about the 24 either!)

If Psalm 37 calls us to “Delight in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart” I’d like (without the imposed slow down of sleet and snow) to more intentionally consider this wonderful gift of Sabbath and claim for myself the blessing so clearly promised. How about you?