Running On Empty

Posted on Aug 27, 2013 by Wendy

Is “Remembering the Sabbath” a thing of the past? Does the 4^th Commandment still apply to us today?  If so, how should busy families honor God in today’s culture?

For a couple of years, I have been struggling to find answers to these questions. There are many opinions, but my heart longs to follow God’s desire.  In this article, I offer humble encouragement to closely examine how your family’s use of time will affect your children’s children – yes, I am asking you to think about your grandchildren. I must caution you; this topic will probably be uncomfortable.  If you are hoping for “feel good encouragement,” PLEASE STOP READING NOW!

I must confess that I naturally tend to be a workaholic. Rest is something that I long for but often equate with wasted time. Work is tangible; rest is not. Because we cannot quantify the benefits of rest, I am concerned that even Christian families have changed God’s design for the Sabbath.

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I recently attended an event, and to my surprise, the speaker addressed the issue of a society that doesn’t know how to rest. He said that we are very good at “Racing for the Cure,” but he cautioned that we should “Stop and Examine the Cause” of many of today’s medical issues. Because this was a matter with which I had been struggling, I listened carefully. The speaker was Matthew Sleeth, M.D., author of the book 24/6. After years of serving in the medical field, he concluded that many of the issues that we face as a society are a result of running without ever stopping to rest. Physically, it takes time for our bodies to heal from blows that leave bruises. Likewise, we need time to heal from the emotional trauma in our lives. Our bodies were not designed to live without rest. This, he proclaimed, from a medical perspective: resting on the Sabbath is necessary to heal from the strain of the week.

In Genesis, the first book in the Bible, we see that even God himself rested on the seventh day. However, somewhere in the not-so-distant past, probably in your lifetime, resting on the Sabbath was exchanged for 24 additional hours in the workweek. This exchange is costing us dearly! The most troubling part of the cost is that our children don’t know any different.  As parents, we have unintentionally robbed them of one of the most amazing gifts that God offers: REST!

Run Faster!

Life keeps getting faster, or have you been too busy to notice? It was only about twenty years ago that the average American home acquired their first desktop computer. Today our teens walk around with much smaller, more sophisticated electronics in their hands. The speed of life is increasing exponentially, but even though we cover more ground, many people are emptier than ever before. We have traded mealtime conversations for a supersized tweet! Relationships with a cherished few are exchanged for the faceless “likes” of hundreds. We are slowly forgetting how to genuinely connect with others, and in our hurry, we have forgotten how to connect with God. From the beginning of time, God set aside a day of rest so that we can remember, serve, and worship Him completely.

The question is “How?”  How do we really rest in a world that never stops?  As parents, we must steer our children in the right direction. Establishing a day of rest in your family will not be easy because it is contrary to culture, but God will honor you for it! This decision will probably look different for each family – it should! Your family is different than any other family. I hesitate to share with you what our family has decided for fear that you will compare your family to ours. Please don’t. The only reason I am sharing is for you to see that it is possible to make intentional steps with regard to your time usage that will help your children learn to rest even in a rest-less world.

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Steps to Rest:

Step 1: Set a Date for a Family Meeting

Set a date on the calendar to discuss what the Sabbath should look like in your family. Ask everyone to research the Sabbath, pray about changes, and write down ideas of what the Sabbath might look like for your family. Hold everyone accountable to be present and prepared. In our house, if a family member showed up to the meeting without written ideas, he/she was not allowed to participate in the conversation.  However, any decisions that were made in the meeting would still apply to him/her.

Step 2: Family Meeting

At this meeting allow everyone to have input about what the Sabbath is and why it is important. Ask everyone what that should look like.  Make decisions and write them down so that there is no confusion. Make this meeting special by going out for dessert or making a special dessert to eat once you have decided how your family will honor God on the Sabbath.

Step 3: Begin Practicing the Sabbath

Our family agreed on the following things (remember, this will look different for your family):

• Screenless Sundays: We are refraining from using electronics.

1. Exception 1:  If we choose to watch a family movie, we are very careful to choose a movie that honors God.  Classic movies are a great option. This encourages us to bond as a family.
2. Exception 2: If we are driving, we may turn on our cell phone in case of emergency.

• No Commerce: We are being intentional about not spending or making money on the Sabbath. This allows us to focus on God’s provisions.
• No Chores: On Sunday, we don’t make beds or do chores.  (The kids love this!)

• Food Preparation: Food preparation must be completed the day before. Paper plates are used on the Sabbath.  This prevents extra work cleaning kitchen messes on the Sabbath.

1. Exception: We do use the stove to reheat the food that is prepared ahead of time.

• Rest: Each family member is free to choose his/her own form of rest as long as it’s intentional. Some examples may include playing instruments, reading, napping, or exercising.

For some families, these ideas are too rigorous and for some, not rigorous enough. Regardless of your opinion, my hope is that you prayerfully consider the gift of rest that God offers you on the Sabbath.

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CLAIM IT: Matthew 11:28 (NLT) Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”

ACTION: Consider reading 24/6 by Matthew Sleeth, M.D., and prayerfully contemplate what the Sabbath will look like in your family. Exodus 20:8 “Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.”