“Something about the beauty and the kindness and the concreteness of [Sabbath] pierced my self-sufficiency and melted the hardness of my activism; all I wanted to do was fall down and worship a God who would think to give us such a gift.”
When my daughters were very young, I sat in church one Sunday and listened to a beautiful sermon about Sabbath rest. The pastor encouraged us to challenge our culture of busyness and to rein in our packed calendars so that we might embrace the practice of Sabbath rest as we were created to do.
I was inspired. My spirit and body ached for the deep rest that the pastor described. As a young mom, I was tired all the time. As the service continued, I started to mentally go over my family’s calendar, determined to make the cuts necessary to create room for Sabbath rest. I envisioned a full night’s sleep, a hot breakfast, happy and well-rested children, good coffee and good conversation.
By the time I returned home, though, my hopes had deflated. The events on my calendar were not expendable – they were doctor’s appointments and oil changes, church small group gatherings and preschool field trips. And even if I had canceled any of these things, the “free” time would be anything but restful. I was a mom to a preschooler and a toddler – my days were full and exhausting, but at the end of each day, it would have been hard to describe what had filled the hours. Diapers, nap schedules, futile cleaning, meal preparation, more diapers, laundry, answering the endless questions of a preschooler, and a million other constant and immediate tasks. A day with nothing on the calendar would not eliminate this kind of busyness.
I felt defeated. Here I was instructed as a follower of Jesus to observe the Sabbath, and I recognized Sabbath rest as a gift from God, and yet there seemed to be no way to actually practice it. I felt like a failure.
Later that same day, as I read scripture for a few minutes before going to bed, I came across these words in Isaiah 40:11 -
He tends his flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
he gently leads those that have young.
He gently leads those that have young.
In that moment, the Holy Spirit gently reminded me that God knew the details of my life. He knew that my baby did not sleep through the night. He knew that my lunch on most days was the crust from my daughter’s sandwich and the same cup of coffee that I had reheated three times. He knew that the responsibilities of parenting would continue even on a day set aside for rest. And he promised to gently lead me. Gently. Not with judgment or rigid requirements. Not with demands that I simply couldn’t meet. Gently.
In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus invites us into true rest, a rest that only he can offer. Notice his gracious words of invitation:
Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me – watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly. (The Message)
Did you find yourself taking a deep breath as you read Jesus’ words? Are you tired? Check. Worn out? Check. Burned out on religion? Check. Jesus invites us to get away with him and to live again. By walking and working with him, by watching how he lives, we can learn how to take a real rest. His ways are not heavy, nor are they ill-fitting.
I am encouraged to know that Jesus’ time of rest was frequently interrupted, even as mine was as a young mother. He regularly retreated from his work to rest and pray, to spend time with his Father; but sometimes, the crowds followed him to ask for teaching or healing or simply to be in his presence. As a human living in an imperfect world, Jesus faced demands on his time, responsibilities, interruptions, and immediate needs, just as you and I do. And yet still he tells us, “I’ll show you how to take a real rest…watch how I do it.”
Let me encourage you to get away with Jesus. Spend time in his presence. Watch his ways and find rest in him. This is Sabbath. While your season of life may not allow for the Sabbath of your dreams, Jesus invites you into a time of rest that he himself orchestrates, a rest deeper than anything we could ask or imagine. He knows the realities of your life, and in his gentle and welcoming way, he promises to show you how to take a real rest in a perfectly-fitting way.