Sabbath Day

For Christians, Sunday is the designated day of Sabbath. It is the day to rest in God's goodness. Worship in community is an essential discipline to enter that deep rest when when know, touch, feel, and sense God is in all, of all, and within all. Some say they feel and sense this vastness of God by playing, walking, enjoying the outdoors. Some say they feel and sense this vastness in the grandeur of organ music or the depth of prayer. Some say Sabbath is a time to break the routine and do nothing.

Many years ago, a New York City police officer who was a member of the congregation I served, offered this perspective on Sabbath, "I need to set aside one day a week when I get on my knees." Sabbath brings us to our knees placing each one of us in perspective with our creator. We are of ultimate value to the One who loves us and yet as a grain of sand on the wide shore. Sabbath is resting our our moment with God and resting in the glory of all those moments for others.

Sabbath is not a place that we walk into easily, which is why we need a community disciple and a personal discipline to enter Sabbath. The community discipline is worship. The personal discipline is a intense, alert, and lively focus on God. It is more than being in creation; it is being in creation so that we are in God. It is more than a rest from schedule or play; it is chosen activities that minimize our directing our lives and allowing God to direct us.

Sunday Sabbath, for Christians, is intentional discipline with our knees in contact with the earth, our minds alert to goodness and our tiny yet important contribution to the sweep of God's purpose, and our rest in all that God gives to us.