I told them the story and watched confusion cross their faces.
One thing I love about teaching middle schoolers entails telling them stories about how things were when I was their age. When I was growing up, Sunday was a different day.
Sunday was the day we attended church. Not everyone went to church, but those who didn’t chose to stay home and inside. If anyone saw them mowing the lawn, working in the flowers, watering the grass, or washing their vehicles, they gave them a sideways look. At least, that’s the way life operated in the Deep South.
And it wasn’t much to draw our attention to anything else. In the South, we had Blue Laws, which meant all businesses except the essential ones—gas stations and drug stores—closed. Sunday was a day of rest.
Now, for most, Sunday is just another day. Most businesses are open, and many people do the same things they do the other six days of the week. We don’t do much resting anymore.
“On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all his work.” (Genesis 2:2 NLT).
But if God is God and possesses all the traits the Bible assigns Him, why did He need to rest after six days of creating? Surely, He wasn’t tired. Perhaps, He was providing an example.
In Lettie Cowman’s book, Springs in the Valley, she tells of a traveler trekking through the deep jungles of Africa. He had engaged Coolies from one of the tribes to help carry his loads. On the first day of the journey, they marched fast and traveled far, but on the second morning, the tribesmen refused to move. They simply sat and rested. When the traveler asked why they refused to move, they told him they were waiting for their souls to catch up with their bodies.
Cowman concludes the story by writing, “This whirling rushing life which so many of us live does for us what that first march did for those poor jungle tribesmen. The difference: they knew what they needed to restore life’s balance; too often we do not.”
While sleep requirements vary slightly from person to person, studies show most healthy adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep each night to function at their highest capacity. Children and teens need even more. And while sleep seems harder to come by as we age, our need for sleep doesn’t diminish. When circumstances or health conditions disrupt our sleep patterns, power naps during the day can help fill the gap.
God’s Sabbath reminds us we need downtime—time to stop creating. We live in a world where technology gives us endless possibilities to create, along with enjoying others’ creations. These creations make life easier and more enjoyable. But a time comes when we need to step back and sit down—or perhaps lie down. If we don’t, we will hurry on our way to burnout. With burnout, comes breakdown, and when we break down, we’re no good to God’s Kingdom work or to anyone else. Breakdown leads to less work and less creativity every time.
God didn’t design our bodies to go full speed seven days a week. Our bodies require rest, and not just at night. Downtime includes those periods when we step away from the busyness of life, during the day and for short or extended periods of time.
For me, Sabbath means sitting on the patio in our antique glider when the weather permits and listening to and watching the birds visit our feeders. I may read, but I normally just sit, look, and reflect. Sabbath also means taking one day each week to worship my Creator with others who have like-minded faith.
God didn’t rest because He was tired. He rested to give us an example of how He created our bodies and souls to work. This New Year, find ways to build Sabbath into your life. You’ll be glad you did.
