Sabbath is the word God uses to describe something important for His people. But this important thing is not a 'to do' rather, sabbath means 'to cease.' For one day out of seven God commands us to cease -- stop working, striving, doing and to experience something that those activities cannot provide. By ceasing we enter into the same state God Himself inhabits on the seventh day of creation; rest.
The rest of God is not empty, but full of peace and praise. In Genesis 2:1-3 (http://tiny.cc/vrcjs) God rests, blesses and makes the time holy. In Exodus 16 (http://tiny.cc/uygme) God calls Israel to do likewise.
Stephen Geller in his article "Manna and Sabbath: A Literary-Theological Reading of Exodus 16" observes that sabbath is analogous "to the mathematical discovery of zero. [therefore sabbath means] not just 'to stop, cease' in general, but specifically 'to make a complete stop,' 'to cease an activity that is not resumed.' ...The Sabbath is holy because, as a negative act, a religious zero, it makes a whole of the period of time that preceded it."
Without a sabbath, time loses its meaning. Without a ceasing; doing drags everything into an endless cycle of drudgery. Are you weary? Are you inexplicably tired? Perhaps, it is because you need to come to a stop where what has gone before is ceased and before you take up what lies ahead, you pause and rest.
The Christian Sabbath is Sunday (the day of Christ's resurrection). Join us at New Song this Sunday for sabbath rest where in our worship we will hear God's blessing over us and His call to make our lives holy and whole. Sunday School for all ages begins at 9 AM and our service of worship begins at 10 AM.
Grace and Peace,
Sam
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