Recently, we stayed in a home where the Saturday evening meal was served with an unusual "menu."
As the food was being passed around the table, each of us responded to four questions. It was a real challenge to think through the intention of Sabbath rest and how we would keep it. Each person, young and old, came up with different answers. I want to talk about these four questions, starting today and going through January.
The first question was, (the one for today is) "What am I going to stop as I keep the Sabbath?"
Behind the question is the Biblical principle of taking a day of rest. Each one of us can find ways to rest from the activities of the week. Amazingly, what may be demanding for one person can be restful for another! Consider this: what is "work" for a writer, as is my case, might be a restful activity for the mother of a young child. She rarely gets to sit down to write a note or read a book, so she would not think of the same answer I would give.
Rather than delve into all the layers and legalities of what constitutes "work" and how to cease from it for a day, the question put to us as we enjoyed delicious food that evening caused me to think: How do I stop and rest for a day? For many moons, I've laid aside creative writing and anything to do with business on Sundays. So, when I asked, "What am I going to stop?" the answer was easy.
(Combined with the other three questions, which I'll mention later, I found this to greatly enhance my enjoyment of the Sabbath day. Many choose Saturday for their Sabbath; I love keeping Sunday as a day of rest and worship.)
And I enjoy the results! Come Monday morning, I continually find I enjoy new ideas, greater energy, and increased resolution. I'm thankful for Sabbath rest. Now, may I ask you to repeat the same question:
"This Sabbath, what am I going to stop?"
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