Sabbath: Living in a 24/7 Society
Image © Pacific Press
Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study: Genesis 2:1-3, Jeremiah 45:1-5, Exodus 20:11, 2 Samuel 7:12, Mark 6:30-32, Genesis 4:1-17.
Memory Text: “My soul longs, yes, even faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God” (Psalm 84:2).
Tick, tock; tick, tock; tick, tock. The clock ticked steadily and mercilessly. Only two hours before Sabbath would begin. Mary sighed as she surveyed the small apartment. The kids’ toys were still lying all around the living room; the kitchen was a mess; Sarah, their youngest, lay in bed with a fever; and tomorrow she had agreed to serve as a greeter in their church, which meant that they had to leave home 30 minutes before the normal time. I wish I could find some quietness tomorrow, Mary thought wistfully.
At the same time, on the other side of town, Josh, Mary’s husband, was standing in line to pay for their weekly groceries. Traffic had again been a nightmare. The checkout lines were long. Everyone seemed to do their shopping right at this moment. I need some rest, I can’t go on like this, Joshua groaned inwardly. There must be more to this life.
Our lives are governed by rush hours, work hours, medical appointments, virtual conversations, shopping, and school functions. Whether we use public transport, ride a small scooter, or steer a minivan to ferry around our families, the drumbeat of constant engagement with the world around us threatens to drown out what’s really important.
How do we find rest amid so much hustle and bustle?
Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, July 3.
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When I was a student studying for the London University examinations, a group of four of us studied in the same room. We were pretty intense about our studies. All of us wanted to get through the examinations because we knew that basically the rest of our lives depended on it. We would start and around 7am and continue until midnight, with breaks for meals. We learned to recognise when our brains were not working properly and someone would say, "Time for a break!" We would stop our work and play a game of marbles using cycad nuts. It was a fun activity and we would laugh and joke as we tried to get the wayward nuts to do their duty and knock our opponents nuts out of the circle. Twenty minutes later, refreshed, we would be back to the books, the past examination papers, and the writing.
It was during this time that I became convinced that the Sabbath was God's special gift to us. The twenty-four hour respite from study was a treasured break each week. Interestingly all four of us passed our examinations with honour; three of us went on to complete PhDs and one did a research Masters degree, and we have all remained Seventh-day Adventist Christians as well. Three of us have worked together for a fair bit of our lives and we still keep in contact with the fourth member of the group.
The time taken to taken to rest and play was just as important as our time spent in study. That is one lesson I am thankful that I learned early in life.
Likewise, I have learned over my almost 40 years as a Christian, “Rest in Christ” means so much than just the Sabbath, but not to diminish the importance of the Sabbath. What I trying to say is that even this week’s memory verse, “My soul longs, yes, even faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God” (Psalm 84:2), brings back the past and present memories of the various ways to ‘Rest in Christ’.
Today, I’m reminded of Psalms 122:1, “I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord.” One of my pastors, at my very first SDA church, use to always say this verse at the beginning of his prayer. Now, I usually say this verse at the beginning of the Sabbath school lesson, when it’s my week to teach. Like I told my class yesterday, “It’s an honor and a privilege to be in the house of God today. And I love teaching, and talking about, God’s word.” Even with all the various duties I have been assigned to do at our little church each Sabbath, I look forward to each Sabbath because it is a day where I can go to God’s house, to learn about Him; but especially, it’s a time for me to get away from the cares of this world for just a little while. I shutter to think about what kind of person I would’ve become if I didn’t have this type of “Rest in Christ” on a weekly basis, to refresh my mind in preparation of navigating the adventures of the next week.
I can’t wait to see and read about all the new ways, and ideas, this quarter about “Rest in Christ“.
God’s blessings to you all!
This weeks memory verse states:
In preparation for this week’s (and in fact this quarter’s) study, I would invite you to reflect upon the things in your life - and/or in the lives of people you know/interact with - that cause your soul to ‘faint’ or your heart to ‘cry out’ in 2021.
I agree, searching our soul is something we need. We will find that our need for Christ is enlarged or rekindled if that is our intent of search, by a miracle working in us, the Holy Spirit is nudging us to see ourselves as filthy rags, we realize and then ask "oh wretched man that I am, who can deliver my soul from death?" Romans 7:24. Turning to John the Baptist for an answer, we read, " Behold the Lamp of God, which taketh away the sins of the world." John 1:29. By reflecting on our lives, time is spent which allows the Holy Spirit to remind us and or bring to our frontal lobe(the area of ability to reason, "come now and let us reason together, though your sin be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow." Isaiah 1:18), the reality that, our dreams of progress, and all our efforts to up lift humanity are at naught, if we neglect Christ who is the source of hope and help for the fallen race. 🙏 is that we don't neglect Christ, in our more than busy lives this day and age, and to kindle or rekindle the feeling that we would rather die than miss a day without Him.
I was visiting a church and the pastor in his sermon gave his personal testimony told us that in his preparation for sermons and study of Bible with parishioners, he in the past neglected a personal relationship with Christ. Now, "I have that relationship. He lifts me up so I can stand on higher ground."
John- you said, 'searching our soul is something we need'. Human by sinful nature cant search his own soul. But I like how you came back to say the working of the Holy Spirit in ones life. It is by tugging upon human's heart/mind that men are brought into contact with Jesus. He also reminds us what he had done and is doing for us which draws us closer to him.
Yes, you are right He does the searching for us. Psalms 139:23. Now though we can look at our heart and say I need to turn to the Lord. Lamentations 3:40.
We are also advised to keep our heart, Proverbs 4:23. I would say to keep our heart we need to know our heart. But yes we need to listen to the Holy Spirit He is our guide. Proverbs 16:9.
Behold the Lamp of God…Very nice typo. He is indeed the Light of the of the world also. I like it.
And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.
Mark 1:35
Living in a 24/7 Society
Does our society govern us, or do we govern our society? How do we as SDA Christians have a balance in our own personal life when so much is going on around us. Work and families and friends, the physical and the mental and the social, and the spiritual and the psychological areas of each one of us. Many have different schedules to tend to in their personal lives. From rising in the morning to going back to sleep we are all booked out every day. Does our book have that special place for Jesus? Do we incorporate him in our daily 24/7 planner? Do we spend time to gaze upon his glory? Or are we too booked out with time for ourselves, spouse, children and grands, work and social activities. Do we realized why meeting times per week is so scarce? Have we asked ourselves, do I contribute to the meetings being so scarce?
Our world will become what we create or allow others to create for us. Jesus prayed that while His followers were IN the world, they would not be OF the world. If we are controlled by the rat-race, perhaps we have signed up for it? Not all have, and many have found a way to escape the frantic manner of living in pursuit of what the world offers. Some have found “perfect peace” while in this 24/7 world. It depends upon what our minds are "stayed" upon, which will determine what we end up striving for. Isa 26:3 did not “expire” with the industrial/computer age, yet many have no idea how to find that peace. The pursuit of worldly prosperity will never be peaceful or lead us into the Rest Jesus has promised(Matt 11:28). For this Rest, we must be servants of God, following where He leads(Isa 32:18).
And Church activities on Sabbath is also very hectic.
You are quite right Robert. Been there and done that. One of the things we should perhaps explore more it how to make the Sabbath more restful. I think one of the dangers we fall into is to try and "spirituality" the notion of rest, when perhaps when God talks of rest, he is really talking about sitting and relaxing in the physical sense. God knows we need physical rest and perhaps we are doing him a disservice when we cram Sabbath full of highly organised activity.
We have some wonderful counsel that agrees with you Maurice.
Robert could you give us those links or book chapter and page numbers? I never get affended by her counsel. In fact the closer I come to Christ the more blessed I realize I am with her counsel. Some complain of her counsel because it provides more detail guiding(commanding) our life, which they think is promoting righteousness by works. Well if that is there intrepretion(excuse) then Ezekial 11:18,19. Would be offensive. Which gives guidance and counsel on the condition to recieve a new heart. More than that it is a warning, because He loves us and wants us all to partake of His blessing, covenant, and promises. Well actually the warning is found in verse 21 and verse 20 has more guidance, or commands if you prefer. I like guidence sometimes rather than commands, because then the controlling software is severed. Unlike my 3d printer which goes bezerk or can't function without pluging in the softwear stick. Don't get me wrong I am not promoting severing the power cord and wi-fi with Heaven, rather just an illustration of choice. I follow Mosses counsel, "I set before you life and death, please choose life." Deuteronomy 30:19.
I will never forget how my formerly Sikh, very good friend, now a Christian Seventh-day-Adventist said: "God gives us a glass of milk, Satan gives us a glass of strychnine, they are both white. Please choose the milk."
John, I've read many books many times, cannot remember specific page/paragraphs on some things, but the Testimonies and Gospel Workers come to mind on this issue. The later gets rather specific concerning formalities and preliminaries, as I recall. I usually encourage others to just start reading for themselves.
I can remember what was written(in essence), usually due to having often seen the general practice be counter to our counsel. I have often wondered if anyone was reading, or simply dismissing what was written. I don't really know.
Maurice - I think it a good idea to start the congregational Sabbath with the comming together at about late morning for Praise and Worship first, followed by preaching/teaching/studying the Scriptures all rolled into one.
After some time for preparation, all who wish gather for the communal meal which can last as long as one wants to stay.
It might lead to further discussion of the lessons learned during worship as well as personal prayer together with others.
As I read Sabbaths lesson, I had to go back to creation and imagine what God and Adam & Eve did on that first Sabbath and the following Sabbaths until sin entered our world. I will guarantee you they were not napping. The very first Sabbath was spent with Adam and Eve getting to know their creator. The rest they received that day and the Sabbaths after that, was learning that they could rest assured that God loved them and that all throughout creation, the world they knew, declared Gods love. Time with our Creator and our Savior is the rest we need.