“What would we do without clocks?”
That was the question I asked myself after reading Ann Voskamp’s wonderful post over at Holy Experience.
And then I mused, “What could I gain if I weren’t in such a hurry? What am I missing in life by rushing?”
A friend wrote about her need for programmed rest — taking time away from electronics, shopping, cleaning and work.
Another friend took time off from ‘social networking,’ putting down the PDA, blog and twitter for a season.
How about a day with absolutely nothing planned?
God had a similar idea. He called it, “the Sabbath.”
The concept, institutionalized in the 10th commandment, was that one day of the week would be given to family, rest and worship. No fields could be worked. No horses could be saddled. Even women running households were given a day of rest.
In our modern world, the mere idea of planned rest comes across as a quant and even unreasonable concept. The earlier colonialists subscribed to the concept of rest and established “Blue Laws,” restricting certain business and leisure activities on Sundays. Even today, in many states, you cannot sell a car or buy liquor on Sunday. Various Sabbath prohibitions exist around the world.
By practice, many businesses close on Sunday. Whether they recognize the need to follow God’s imperative to rest is probably in doubt, but they still recognize the law written on their hearts to have a rest. In the Supreme Court Case, McGowan vs. Maryland, the court let stand Blue Laws, because they promote the values of “health, safety, recreation, and general well-being” through a common day of rest.
One of the last bastions of societal Sabbath is found in Bergen County, NJ. Nearly every retail establishment is closed on Sundays. Yet, the Paramus district within the County has more sales than any other ZIP Code in the United States. Obviously, taking a day off doesn’t hurt the bottom line.
And the Chick-Fil-A fast-food chain famously closes on Sundays. Their locations are darkened on Sundays, yet they are still beacons of light to the world. They have honored God through this since 1946. And the company still makes plenty of money, with more than $2 billion in sales.
My friend has decided to observe the Sabbath for a month and see how it improves her life. “It will be interesting to see if my job performance and relationships improve.”
Admittedly, I don’t do well in this area. There is always an article to write, a book to plan, a class to teach, a friend to call, a letter to pen. Every time God says, “chill,” I ignore Him.
I have much to learn.
What about you? Comment here.
Please, share with a friend if you feel moved.
Read all past issues at http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davidrupert
Read all past issues at http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davidrupert
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In