Remember the Sabbath

The apostles gathered around Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught.

He said to them, “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.” (Mark 6:30-31 ).

Vacation! We, Americans, love our vacations. Many of us work hard at our vacations and say, “I need a vacation from my vacation.” Vacations are a break from the routine.

Jesus knew the value of stepping away from the routine.

In the Gospel according to Mark, after the 12 followers of Jesus return from their first attempts at ministry, Jesus says it is time for them to step away. “... come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while. For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.” (Mark 6:31).

Someone has pointed out that rest or a break from the routine is so important that God planned that human beings would be “recharged” through their rest. In fact, one could make the case that in Genesis Chapter 1 – the creation story – the human beings are created on the sixth day and so their first full day is the day known as the Sabbath. Human beings were designed to fully participate in the Sabbath.

Spending time in rest or in a break from the routine is desirable and needful. The commandment to “remember the Sabbath and keep it holy” reminds us that in taking a break we need to spend time in God’s presence “remembering” what God has done for us.

A good way to do this is to attend a worship service at a church. At church, one can focus on giving thanks to God for all that God has done. The Hebrews would remember the Passover, the flight from Egypt and the provisions in the wilderness. They would remember God’s presence in their midst.

It was a way of breaking from the routine of daily work and survival. It was a way of remembering who they were and who had brought them to the Promised Land.

As the summer winds down, take a break and spend time giving God thanks for all that God has done in your life and in the lives of your loved ones. Come to church and “remember the Sabbath.”

David Hall

Holy Trinity Lutheran Church