God saw all that he had made, and it was very good…By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done. Genesis 1:31a, 2:2-3
The billowing clouds scroll across the blue sky. The sun gently warms my face as the water calmly undulates the boat, forming tiny ripples across the deep blue-green surface. Whispers of thoughts float through my mind on how peaceful it would be to live near a river or lake. While fantasizing about lake living, I’m lulled into calm for a couple of hours as we navigate the Douro River in Portugal. It’s a welcomed respite from the frantic pace of ten days traversing Portugal from Porto to Lisbon. One of my fellow travelers is so relaxed on the boat that he falls asleep. Another remarks how peaceful the boat ride is. It got me thinking.
Life isn’t always peaceful like a slow-flowing river. Sometimes is more like a Class 5 rapid with steep waterfalls just around the bend. Even without considering life’s hardships and difficulties, the pace of life is so fast that we frantically go from one activity to the next, enslaved to our never-ending to-do list, as we pile guilt on ourselves for not doing enough.
Do we crawl under the covers at bedtime only to rehash what we didn’t get done that day and feel the weight of all we have to do tomorrow? How often do we say “enough is enough” or “I’ve done enough for today”?
In our key verses, we see that God, after creating the world, rested. Did He rest because He was tired? No, of course not. Perhaps as He declared His creation “very good,” He realized that it was enough. His work for now was done. And He rested.
Perhaps it’s unrealistic to think we can carve out a whole day each week to refrain from work, to rest, to relax, to rejuvenate. But our bodies do need rest. Our minds need a break, too. Maybe finding a Sabbath rhythm isn’t about one day a week; maybe it’s all about taking “Sabbath moments” throughout each day. A Sabbath moment could be as short as a stretch break or a brisk walk outside. It could be pulling away to pray, to read, to listen to music, or to do another activity we find relaxing. Maybe it’s even a power nap!
Throughout busy hours and turbulent days, taking a few minutes here and there to relax and rejuvenate gives us the opportunity to reenergize, gain a better perspective on our busyness and priorities, and experience the peace that Jesus gives. (See John 14:27 below.) Sabbath moments don’t have to encompass a whole day, but creating a bit of margin in each day for Sabbath moments revives and refreshes us to continue the journey while internally taking the Sabbath peace back into our busy lives. It can actually make us more productive and focused when we return to the tasks at hand.
If you find your to-do list and busy life overwhelming, I encourage you to step back, take a Sabbath moment, and then step back into the fray with a renewed mind, peaceful spirit, and new energy. Then, maybe you will look around at the end of the day and say, “it is very good.”
Lord, I bring my weary and overwhelmed self to You. Teach me Your Sabbath ways so that I may live in Your peace as I do Your will and work each day. Amen.
John 14:27 - “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
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Text and photograph copyright © 2019 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved. Photo of the Douro River near the town of Pinhão, Portugal.
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
The billowing clouds scroll across the blue sky. The sun gently warms my face as the water calmly undulates the boat, forming tiny ripples across the deep blue-green surface. Whispers of thoughts float through my mind on how peaceful it would be to live near a river or lake. While fantasizing about lake living, I’m lulled into calm for a couple of hours as we navigate the Douro River in Portugal. It’s a welcomed respite from the frantic pace of ten days traversing Portugal from Porto to Lisbon. One of my fellow travelers is so relaxed on the boat that he falls asleep. Another remarks how peaceful the boat ride is. It got me thinking.
Life isn’t always peaceful like a slow-flowing river. Sometimes is more like a Class 5 rapid with steep waterfalls just around the bend. Even without considering life’s hardships and difficulties, the pace of life is so fast that we frantically go from one activity to the next, enslaved to our never-ending to-do list, as we pile guilt on ourselves for not doing enough.
Do we crawl under the covers at bedtime only to rehash what we didn’t get done that day and feel the weight of all we have to do tomorrow? How often do we say “enough is enough” or “I’ve done enough for today”?
In our key verses, we see that God, after creating the world, rested. Did He rest because He was tired? No, of course not. Perhaps as He declared His creation “very good,” He realized that it was enough. His work for now was done. And He rested.
Perhaps it’s unrealistic to think we can carve out a whole day each week to refrain from work, to rest, to relax, to rejuvenate. But our bodies do need rest. Our minds need a break, too. Maybe finding a Sabbath rhythm isn’t about one day a week; maybe it’s all about taking “Sabbath moments” throughout each day. A Sabbath moment could be as short as a stretch break or a brisk walk outside. It could be pulling away to pray, to read, to listen to music, or to do another activity we find relaxing. Maybe it’s even a power nap!
Throughout busy hours and turbulent days, taking a few minutes here and there to relax and rejuvenate gives us the opportunity to reenergize, gain a better perspective on our busyness and priorities, and experience the peace that Jesus gives. (See John 14:27 below.) Sabbath moments don’t have to encompass a whole day, but creating a bit of margin in each day for Sabbath moments revives and refreshes us to continue the journey while internally taking the Sabbath peace back into our busy lives. It can actually make us more productive and focused when we return to the tasks at hand.
If you find your to-do list and busy life overwhelming, I encourage you to step back, take a Sabbath moment, and then step back into the fray with a renewed mind, peaceful spirit, and new energy. Then, maybe you will look around at the end of the day and say, “it is very good.”
Lord, I bring my weary and overwhelmed self to You. Teach me Your Sabbath ways so that I may live in Your peace as I do Your will and work each day. Amen.
John 14:27 - “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
Want to subscribe to future posts? Click here.
Text and photograph copyright © 2019 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved. Photo of the Douro River near the town of Pinhão, Portugal.
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
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