Theme of the Week: Rest-Work Balance
Bible Verse: “You have despised my holy things and profaned my Sabbaths.” Ezekiel 22:8 ESV
Scripture Reading: Ezekiel 22:1-12
Imagine being given an extra seven weeks of vacation every year. I’d take it. Wouldn’t you?
Surprisingly, though, many of us balk at taking 52 days of Sabbath every year, the equivalent of seven weeks of time off. I’ve often struggled to understand why it’s so hard for us. “The Sabbath is a gift we do not know how to receive,” writes A.J. Swoboda.1
Taking Sabbath is hard because it’s countercultural. It cuts against the grain of our always-on, productivity-focused world. Although society has changed, this impulse hasn’t changed. Sabbath has always run counter to the way the rest of the world runs. It’s an act of rebellion against the way the world operates.
It’s also hard because it runs counter to how our hearts think. Sabbath is the act of stopping, of recognizing that we have limits; that the world will run just fine without us; that we are not God. Sabbath is an act of submission.
If you struggle to receive the gift of Sabbath, you’re not alone. Spend some time today thinking about why it’s so hard for you. Ask God to reveal some of the reasons why it’s hard to accept this gift in your life. Ask for his help, and celebrate his grace for us when we struggle.
1 Swoboda, A. J.. Subversive Sabbath: The Surprising Power of Rest in a Nonstop World. Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
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