It’s been a busy week for me. You know, one of those weeks where I was out almost every night (apologies to my dog who had extra time on his own), days where the best laid plans did not happen, and even writing this blog post is suddenly five days too late. My refrain this week has been “I’ll take back the time when things calm down in January.”
It seems in our culture that busyness is almost a source of pride. We expect people to be busy all the time. In more recent times, even our hobbies get turned into a source of income. So many people having one or more “side hustles,” especially with our cost of living crisis that makes any extra income a necessity. Leisure activities for the sake of enjoying them are no longer the right thing to do. Having a time of rest, a Sabbath rest, seems no longer permissible.
Some 2,000 years ago Jesus reminded those around him that Sabbath rest is a gift for people, not the other way around. In his culture a whole range of rules had emerged around observing the Sabbath, and the most important one was forgotten – it was there to ensure that no one was over worked. The Sabbath is a day to take the time out from all the requirements of our daily lives and to enjoy a time of leisure.
In our busy world, especially as we face the lead up to Christmas, where will you find your Sabbath rest?