Our boys are riding their bikes to school on Monday. They will walk into third and fifth grade. Kennady will be taking the bus to 7th grade (Simon Junior High). It is here already. We have so many questions as this day approaches.
Did we maximize the summer?
Did we do enough fun stuff?
Did we waste the time off?
I have an interesting idea: We should be more “summer-like” all year ’round.
You should really be more unproductive on a regular basis.
I feel confident in saying that to 99% of Americans. At least, you should try to be unproductive. I think sometimes we try so hard to be productive that we end up burning out and not being productive at all.
God was rolling along, creating things, saying they were good when, after 6 days, he stops and decides to do nothing productive. He rested. Then, when the law was being given to his people, he makes one of the big ten laws, “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.” Exodus 20:8
It must be a pretty big deal if it made the top ten list.
I always thought that keeping the Sabbath meant that I was supposed to go to church every Sunday. It was like, “Remember to go to church every Sunday and don’t forget it! Make sure you go!” However, the Sabbath is more and better than simply going to church every weekend. It can and should include gathering with other believers to worship God, but it will include other ‘non’-activities.
Here is my take: “Remembering the Sabbath, to keep it holy” means: Don’t forget to keep one seventh of your life unproductive. One day a week, intentionally do nothing that is of productive value. By resting one day of the week, you are communicating to God that you do not believe you are the source of accomplishment in your life. You are worshipping God by saying, “I trust that you are in control of everything. I have worked hard this week and now can confidently rest because I believe/trust that you, Jesus, are in ultimate control. All the loose ends from my task list are not going to sink my job, me, or the world. I can be unproductive today because your word says,
“…there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God. For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world.” Hebrews 4
Last week, I went on a cruise with around 30 other folks from our church. The second day on the boat, we all gathered in a room for a group meeting. They weren’t sure what to expect. Was I going to preach, teach, have an altar call? (Maybe I should have after Karaoke the night before.) We all sat down and I led them in a short discussion about doing nothing on the boat all week. I told them that I didn’t want them to even think about anything productive. Don’t read a book unless it is for fun, don’t write notes for when you get back on land, don’t do work on the laptop, try your hardest to do…nothing. Nothing but have a good time. We were going to rest. We were going to remember a Sabbath to keep it holy.
I told them that when we left the boat we were going to be spiritually and emotionally higher than when we got on the boat. We were going to be more spiritually healthy. (Probably not physically healthy because we were going to eat around 10,000 calories a day). We were going to be stronger when we left. Not because we had an encounter or specific moment on the cruise, but because we were being obedient and faithful to God by….doing nothing productive. Resting. Trusting that God had everything under control back on land.
As Americans we aren’t conditioned to think this way. We are geared to produce at any expense. We are trying to eliminate all angles that slow us down or hinder growth. We are wired to never take a break. Elizabeth was on the boat with us. She was so relieved to hear the message that day. She told me, “I am always trying to find ways to be productive while I’m resting. I feel guilty simply doing nothing and feel like I am expected to always be productive.”
Two lumberjacks were in competition for several hours. They were trying to see who could chop the most wood. One relentlessly chopped without a break. The other took breaks every thirty minutes. The one who took breaks won. When asked how he won while taking breaks, he said, “Every time I took a break, I sharpened my axe.”
While we were on the boat, I challenged our people to think about sharpening their axe. Every time the temptation came to disobey God (and be productive) use that as an opportunity to say a short prayer. Those are testing moments. Do I trust God’s plan of rest? Do I trust his reward of obedience. Work hard for 6/7ths of your life and then rest hard for 1/7th of your life. Instead of being so balanced that you are always trying to work and always trying to rest, think of it being more of a pendulum. When it is time to work, give it all you got. Then, when it is time to rest, give it all you got.
Go sharpen your axe!
What has your rest been like lately?
Do you struggle to find rest?
What do you do to make sure you are following God’s plan for a regular Sabbath?
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