The most interesting thing about the fourth command is that when the ten commandments are repeated in Deuteronomy 5, there is a different reason given for observing the Sabbath:
"15 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the LORD your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the LORD your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day."
I think this gives us some very helpful guidance:
1. Rest is part of our created ideal. God institutes rest as part of the cycle of life. Our bodies grow through work AND rest. When I exercise, I am actually causing micro-tears in my muscles. When I rest, the body repairs the tears by growing the muscle bigger. Is not exercise that grows the muscle, but rest! We can cope with stress if we have cycles of rest. The created order reflects this in day&night and in the seasons. And the cycle of six days work and one day recovery is part of the created order. Jesus summed this up when He said that the Sabbath was made for us and not us for the Sabbath.
2. Rest affirms that we are not slaves. Not to our jobs or the rat race. The Sabbath is a reset-switch where I can affirm that my identity comes from Christ and not my effort. I can connect to my family and break the relentless cycle of work. It is an opportunity to celebrate our blessings. It is an opportunity to worship the God who freed us. This is why the Church moved our Sabbath from the Jewish Seventh day to Sunday, the Day that Jesus rose from the dead, setting us free from sin, death and Satan.
So what does a good Sabbath look like??
1. Change the pace
2. Worship
3. Family
4. It's ok to get the sheep out of the well (emergencies)
5. Re-creation
The bottom line: Take rest seriously! It is part of the created order and you are not a slave!
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Theo Groeneveld theo@emmanuel.org.za
You can see past EmmDevs at http://emmdev.blogspot.com/
