Sabbath ceasing [means] to cease not only from work itself, but also from the need to accomplish and be productive, from the worry and tension that accompany our modern criterion of efficiency, from our efforts to be in control of our lives as if we were God, from our possessiveness and our enculturation, and finally, from the humdrum and meaninglessness that result when life is pursued without the Lord at the center of it all.
Keeping the Sabbath Wholly
Saw this quote from Marva Dawn and wanted to share it. I believe she lives in Vancouver. She's an amazing thinker, writer, theologian, and speaker. Her book Reaching Out Without Dumbing Down: A Theology of Worship for This Urgent Time is a must read for worship ministries.
I also shared this quote because I'm hoping to read and review Abraham Joshua Heschel's book The Sabbath. I think a lot of us forget the importance of taking a Sabbath, especially those in ministry. So it should be a fun look into what Sabbath means.
About Me
- Ross Gale
- Ross Gale is a writer from Portland, OR. You can visit him at rcgale.com
"...from the humdrum and meaninglessness that result when life is pursued without the Lord at the center of it all."
i love the whole quote but this part is great since i have been there and i know what it feels like. there have been times that i put work before god and eventually it will make you miserable to live that way.
this reminds me of one of my favorite quotes by thoureau-
"Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them."
Growing up SDA (Seventh-Day Adventist), our whole life revolved around the Sabbath... when it started, what we could to/couldn't do, and most of all when it ended. It definitely wasn't Christ centered, just another rule. i know this isn't what God intended it to be like, but I have a hard time finding a happy medium.
hey there -
you don't have to publish this comment, it's more of a question to you. i am a little confused. i freely admit i am not a bible scholar and if in doubt i always defer to the bible on any question. but then there is always the question of interpretation isn't there? i did a little web research and granted it's not a reliable source - but then again, who do you trust anyway, there are so many scholars with opinions to choose from and each on is just a man/woman = falible? i think no matter what opinions we each have, we all depend on each other to deepen our understanding of spiritual matters. and we tend to gravitate to what speaks to us as individuals - can we all be right? those that seek truth are all searching, but i know some truths will always stand firm.
there is a obvious debate on the true, "sabbath day". clearly it's been debated by more learned and devoted students to the subject than i - so i don't pretend to speak with any kind of certainty. to me it's clear a sabbath day was intended, it's one of the ten commandments. so to say it is not intended you would also be saying you can pick and choose what other commandments to live by as well??? from what i have read some feel that with the debt jesus paid on the cross we are all redeemed and every day should be considered holy and the sabbath is null and void. and i can see how someone could assume that point - but still - there needs to be a sabbath, in fact didn't jesus mention it to his disciples? my confusion is - what day is it supposed to be?? i mean god is not subject to time or dates or "days" of the week. clearly in genesis the bible says (7) days but i am a little lost on when the days of the week start and end (according to the bible). perhaps i need to do more research before i ask these questions.
now - in my heart i think that god understands that if you set aside a day of worship, then he sees that is the sabbath. and many christian churches do not meet saturdays, (which seems to be the day in debate). they meet sunday and wednesday nights. i am drawn to church on "sunday" because that is when my church meets. and the worship is the point - not the day of the week - i think? i actually read somewhere that if you were not worshipping on saturday that you were not obeying the sabbath commandment and thus living in sin.
anyway - if you do any research that you post, would you tell us what you find? i feel certain that god knows i love him as my creator, lover and salvation, so despite any confusion here amongst us he will love me and everyone without a doubt :P