A RestLESS Sabbath

Since the 40 Days of Blogging Challenge had assigned Sabbath as today’s topic, and I already wrote on Sabbath for the last “Bloggers Choice” I can’t just NOT blog today. Please read my post earlier this week on the Unseen Benefit of the Sabbath for my thoughts about the Sabbath. I wish only to make this additional comment.

Soccer, Football, wash the car, clean the gutters, cut the grass, paint the fence, vacuum the carpet, wash the windows, repair that hole in the upstairs bedroom, and don’t forget SHOPPING! These are just a few of the things people work into their Saturday, so many times when Sunday comes around, they are too tired to come to Church for Divine Liturgy.

“Sunday is the only day we have to sleep in…” We’ve all heard this and other excuses, and some we’ve even used ourselves, because we didn’t get any rest on Saturday  - the ACTUAL Sabbath. When we don’t take advantage of the Sabbath and REST, we turn Sunday into a day of rest, because we couldn’t POSSIBLY take time away from work during the week to get these projects finished. (sarcasm)

There isn’t only an unseen benefit to the Sabbath. There is also an obvious benefit. We human beings need rest. God gave us the Sabbath to rest our bodies and souls so that we could continue in our mission to live in communion with God. Tomorrow is Sunday, and EVERY Orthodox Church has Divine Liturgy, unless there isn’t a priest assigned to that particular Church. Did you spend today getting EVERYTHING on your list done so you’ll be too tired for Church tomorrow? Well, how about taking the rest of this evening for prayer and preparation for Holy Communion? It’s not too late, it never is, to live a new life in Christ.

This post is written for the 40 Days of Blogging Challenge sponsored by the Preachers Institute. You may find other blogs participating in this challenge. I hope you enjoy this year’s Advent journey.