Blogging on the Sabbath

I missed a good deal of rest for the past two weeks. It wasn’t because I was busy per se—it was because I made myself busy.

Too busy, in fact, that I missed out on the most important day of the week: my Sabbath, a.k.a. my rest day.

Yep.

I thought I was doing fine. I was sleeping an average of 7-8 hours every day. Even then I felt spent and dry. I’d drink coffee to wake myself up. It could only do so much, really.

I was rotting inside. Borrowing a brilliant insight from a colleague, I was running on reserve battery power. I was not plugged in to the one true Source of energy.

See, there’s a big problem when we focus too much on ourselves. As you’ve noticed, I did nothing but talk about myself in the first few sentences of this blog. Too much self-effort, after all, is a fruit of focusing on the self.

I had forgotten all about rest. More important, I had forgotten all about resting in God.

I remember writing in my journal a few months ago just how important having a Sabbath is:

“The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of the people, not people to meet the needs of the Sabbath.” Mark 2:27 NLT, emphasis mine

Our Sabbath, therefore, is:

• time to rest
• time to commune with God
• time to touch base with family and friends

Sabbath days are touch base days—with God, with people, and with ourselves. It’s our time to reflect on what’s important and eternal. It’s a day God designed to meet our needs.

Funny how I forgot all about this the past two weeks. I thought I was meeting my needs and obeying God in the process. All the flurry of activity I thought was pleasing to God was taking a toll on my relationship with Him.

I took an extended break this week to recharge and, well, give myself a break. This morning, I was scribbling in my journal a new entry, a new Sabbath insight, one that struck me so hard I couldn’t help but write this blog.

Missing a Sabbath robs me an opportunity to hear from God clearly and undivided-ly.

No wonder God honors the Sabbath SO much. Because more than a “rule,” a “law” to be observed, God wants to COMMUNE—TO BE ONE—WITH US. And fill us in on ALL that is in His heart. The ultimate, infinite God of the universe wants to spend time with puny, limited, insignificant human beings. Just how awesome is that????

It’s more than me meeting a need. It’s Him FILLING US with His Word, His presence, and His love.

The Sabbath is ALL ABOUT HIM.

I no longer want to miss out on God. I just want to please Him, with all that I am, and give Him ALL of my days. I no longer want to run on empty and pull out my arsenal of rest tactics. Because the ultimate rest can only be found in God alone.

Tags: batok, sabbath