Sabbath | The Humility of Rest
Sabbath rest is a difficult concept for many western Christians to understanding. At times, it seems that out culture promotes this idea of the every day grind, working tireless until we find ourselves exhausted. We view every day as an opportunity to work and expend all of our energy and any time not spent in active pursuit of some work gain is a wasted day. In our work and our understanding of what it means to have a job, we blur the boundaries of when we should be working, allowing the emails, phone calls, and tasks spill into our home life and be a constant presence, even during our days off. Culturally, we have lost the idea of taking a Sabbath rest from our work and have paid the price in the process. We see this in social media influences on Instagram, Tiktok, and especially YouTube, who have worn themselves down physically, emotionally, and spiritually as they strive to produce content in a system that rewards numerous and multiple uploads. Furthermore, through our phones, our home offices, and the constant stream of availability and information, it seems many carry this constant state of stress and needling to perform while carrying the weight and responsibility of whatever organization we may be a part of.
More than likely, we have underestimate the effect that this lifestyle has on our well-being physically, emotionally, and spiritually. It had never been the intention that mankind continue in a state of working with never any time for breaking, rest, or recreation. God did not intend for life to be this unending day at work until we die. When we refuse to take a sabbath and constantly skip this day, we have idolized ourselves and our work ability above the commands of God. Taking a sabbath is an act of worship and an act of humility to declare the greatness of God over every aspect of our life, including our work. While absolutely necessary, it takes humility to sabbath rest. Yet, this humility is rooted, not in attempting to prove to ourselves that we have it within us, but rather to submit and worship the Lord through our willingness to become nothing in submission to the Lord. The Sabbath is not something that we reluctantly do out of a mindless obedience or view as a wasted day, but it is a day that we have been given as a gift and blessing
“But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the people, “There are six days in which work ought to be done. Come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day.” Then the Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger and lead it away to water it? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?” As he said these things, all his adversaries were put to shame, and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him.” (Luke 13:14-17, ESV)
The Humility In Sabbath
It had been early on in my pastoral career when someone pulled me aside to talk to me about something difficult. They had noticed in me an intense desire to do whatever needed to be done. While this is often times a positive quality in a person, it mean constantly saying yes to things and needing to labor and strive to get them done. Everything fell to my shoulders in an effort to ensure that nothing fell between the cracks. This resulting mindset meant that I had been in a constant state of tiredness, needing to work every day, touching the various projects that I had been a part of to ensure they continued and could be completed. As this person pulled me aside, they rebuked me, rather than consoled me. In seeking to do everything myself and take on every project, I had neglected taking a Sabbath and demonstrated a lack of faith in God. After all, if I truly trusted that God could do immeasurably more than myself, it meant there would be times I stop working, times I say no, and times I do what I am called to do but not over extending myself.
For those not in the habit of taking a day of Sabbath rest, the idea of doing so would come off as a wasted day. For some, it is viewed as a wasted opportunity to grow, develop, or earn. Yet, this is nothing short of arrogance and greed, always pursuing more to build an empire, increase some metric in our lives, or strive for something. Doing so, though, only burns a person out as we never have any time to rest or recover from our work. Or, we feel that our work is absolutely essential to that plan of God and that, somehow, if we do not perform, then the work of God will come to a grinding halt. While the sentiment behind this might be good, we elevate ourselves as being beyond the commands of God to rest, thinking we are essential for the mission of God to be completed. Taking a Sabbath rest means we humble ourselves in submission to God who provides for His people. God’s plan is not to work us to death in this life and we will enjoy rest later, but that we would have a taste of peace that points to a future peace in eternity. Tiredness shows us our limits and causes us to humbly submit to the will and sovereignty of God in our life. Sabbath brings us to the presence of God to find our rest in Him. The Sabbath is not meant to hurt us or slow us down, but is meant as a blessing to us as we understand our rightful place in the world, knowing that we cannot do all things. Only that God can do all things.
The Worship In Sabbath
This omnipotence of God that fuels our Sabbath rest is the source of our worship of God in Sabbath. In humility, we acknowledge our own limitations and our need for rest. In worship, we find that rest in the God who can do all things beyond measure and beyond comprehension. We cannot rest in the presence of God without worshipping Him goodness in the process. Rest, found in anything other than the gift of God’s goodness and grace, will be unable to produce any restoration. Taking a day to put aside our pursuits, worships the God who is greater than our pursuits and greater than anything we may have to do. The doxology of our Savior comes as we lay down the crowns of our pursuits, however noble they might be, in exchange for the peace that comes from simply choosing to slow down.
Resting, then, finds enjoyment in the presence of God as we rest in His infinite nature and omnipotent ability. By taking a day to put our pursuits aside, we allow the presence of God’s glory. Rest worships God by ceasing from our work to glorify God and praise His name. In our rest, in our tiredness, we cry out to God who restores our soul and gives us peace that our soul desires. God is our provider and restores our soul according to the glory of His goodness. We take a sabbath knowing that everything is better in the hands of God who can do all things. Sabbath trusts God enough to rest according to the command of God that He gave for our own good. Man had not been made to serve the sabbath, but the sabbath had been made to serve man. We worship God by enjoying His good gifts in the way He intended us to do so and we praise His name in the process knowing that our God is good.
About The Author
Daniel Burton is the founder of The Gospel Outpost. He is passionate about discipleship and seeing people grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ. To find out more about him, check out his Author Page.
