Work can be a strangely comforting thing. It gives you a sense of control and it makes you feel like you are ‘getting somewhere’. It can sometimes, therefore, be very difficult to actually stop working. It is, however, a vital spiritual discipline to regularly stop and reengage with what is most important in life. This was the idea behind the Sabbath day. When working meant the difference between life and death the ability to stop work was an important gesture of faith. It was a reminder that life is not made by human achievement but by divine presence. To connect with God and others and even to enjoy God’s creation you must stop and be present. One reason why our relationships with others and with God often go awry is because of our absence. I don’t mean physical absence, but a kind of absence of heart and mind. I remember once playing with my infant daughter and feeling shocked at my impatience to get away from that beautiful and sacred moment. My heart was telling me that there were things to achieve that were more important than this relationship or entertainments more enjoyable. I was devastated by the deceitfulness of my natural inclinations. The role of making the Sabbath the climax of the week was to train the heart to recognise that everything else in life must serve our relationships. Of particular importance are those times we make to connect with God both alone and together. Make regular spaces in your life to connect with what is most sacred in life; to love God and others and to enjoy God and his creation together.
Plan when you can take some ‘Sabbaths’ in your week.
Read Jeremiah 17:19-27
