Solomon tells us that “a happy heart is good medicine and a cheerful mind works healing” (Proverbs 17:22, AMP ). God undoubtedly has a sense of humor; we need only look at some of the animals He created (it’s hard not to smile at the sight of a hippo, a monkey, or a puppy). Or think of some of the married couples you know: don’t you think God was smiling at the wedding as He looked ahead to the interaction of the wildly different personalities that will be living together?
Benny Tabalujan makes a compelling argument for honoring the sabbath in “Re-discovering Sabbath” in the most recent issue of Regent Business Review. Tabalujan explains that sabbath is not so much about resting as reflecting:
God used the sabbath to look over, reflect upon, enjoy and celebrate the work he performed. It follows that if work is about results, then sabbath is about reflection; if work is preoccupied with mission, then sabbath delves into meaning. From this perspective, sabbath is as much a part of creation as are the other six days of work. The Jewish scholar, Abraham Heschel, remarked that “it took a special act of creation to bring [the sabbath] into being… The universe would be incomplete without it.â€
Tabalujan goes on to say: “Rest is an essential part of life. In music, rests and silences provide the backdrop against which sounds are enjoyed. Similarly, rest provides the context from which meaning is drawn from work.”
This idea that rest and reflection is part of the creative act and not an after-thought is powerful. Consider the gardener who continually labors to produce a beautifully landscaped yard but never takes time to sit and simply enjoy it. We would wonder what the point is. And that’s exactly what Tabalujan wants us to consider: why work if you never stop to reflect on what you do?
Later in the article, he asserts that modern time-management techniques work against a sabbath-keeping mindset. My order-loving personality is naturally, irresistibly drawn to day planners, handhelds, and other productivity tools. Used appropriately, these can help us to be more effective in our actions. Yet these tools can also lead the believer to worship time rather than the Giver of time.
Honoring the sabbath doesn’t come easy; I suspect that God would not have made it a commandment if we did it naturally. But we know that God never commands what does not bless. Great blessinngs can be found in keeping the Sabbath — and this suggests that there may well be curses in not (but that’s for another post). I encourage you to read the article yourself — and then make time to honor the sabbath.
- filed in living the life, reading, vision and goals
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Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version ®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.