What does Sabbath-rest really mean?

A few weeks ago I witnessed a discussion between adults about the concept of the spiritual discipline of rest. People shared ideas about going fishing every Friday, and crafting, and knitting. One person shared he and his wife were leaving that afternoon to vacation for a week in a resort town to take a break from a stressful season at work.

I didn’t participate in the discussion.

I was quiet. I just listened. It wasn’t until I got in my car and shut the door that I blurted out to myself, “That was such an American discussion.” Sometimes my “mouth blurts” are the first expression of what is going on inside of me. I often don’t know how I feel until the emotion inside of me rises up to leak out in the form of spontaneous and unexpected words.

Then I have something to consider.

Yes, that is what was bothering me. The American part. It is wise to seize opportunities to rest. Our human bodies need care in order to sustain the long -term demands of life. We need pacing in order to make it to the finish line. Those are the realities of our physical limitations. Perhaps that was what the discussion was about, learning to rest in our fast-paced society.

But taking breaks cannot mean what God means about His rest.

Every verse in the bible is meant for every person on the globe. Until we have an interpretation that works for everyone, we don’t have the correct interpretation yet. Verses about rest need to work for every American, not just citizens with discretionary income.

Verses about rest must also apply to the homeless and poor in our country. God’s rest must also be enjoyed by Christ followers in every country, even in Nigeria where hunger and violence have caused a national crisis. Verses about rest need to work for the caretakers of the sick who don’t see a single day off. Verses about rest are applicable to the enslaved and citizens in war-torn societies.

We can’t read God’s word with the eyes of our own culture.

If verses about rest can’t mean participating in an enjoyable activity -because that interpretation does not apply to everyone – then the concept of God’s rest must be something that transcends our circumstances on earth. Can a child of God trapped in slavery experience God’s rest? Amidst horrid conditions, what doe rest look like? Going fishing or taking a vacation is not always an option.

What then?

I don’t have it figured out, which makes writing about this is a bit risky, but I want to wrestle my bible interpretations away from my cultural lens. I want God’s lens when I read His Word. I want to relish in the reality that every verse I read in Scripture can be enjoyed and found true for every brother and sister in the family of God all around the world. After all, we in the family of God are always reading His Word together, aren’t we?

What interpretation works for everyone?

First, even for the enslaved, homeless, sick, and people hiding in a war bunker, we can rest in the reality that our life on earth is brief — like a blink — after which an eternity of bliss awaits. We can rest in that truth, no matter what we face today.

Second, walking with God lets us experience God’s Sabbath-rest which is not relaxing activities. True rest comes when we stay in God’s life-giving ways instead of disobedience which leads to decay and brokenness.

There remains, then, a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For whoever enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from His. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following the same pattern of disobedience. Hebrews 4:9-11

I am resting.

I can’t solve this in a blog post, but I can say that as I have typed, my soul has been calmed by the reality that I can experience God’s rest all day long in the specific circumstances of my life, and so can you. What we are experiencing on earth is not all there is. What we are experiencing is not long compared to the eternal glory that awaits. You and I experience rest as we live each day in obedience to God’s ways while waiting to be transferred from chronic hardship and chaos to eternal bliss in the company of our Savior and siblings in Christ. This interpretation of rest works for everyone.

Enjoy your Sabbath rest today.

Picture Explanation: Speaking of cultural differences, dogs have birthday parties in some countries. Our daughter loves her dog. 

Speaking of living a short life with eternity in mind: The inaugural co-ed online One Gritty Blink Bible study this fall is in process! If you want to join the next one, click on the Oaks Ministries link in the copyright line and send me an email so I can place you on a list to be contacted to participate in a future study! Let’s not just focus on things in this short life, but also what counts for eternity.

Note: No part of my posts are derived from A.I. Thoughts and writing stem from my mind and heart as I process life week-by-week and continue to grow in my understanding of God and how to apply His wisdom to the world around me.

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