Scripture Reading: Luke 6:1-5, Exodus 20:8-10, Mark 2:27
In Luke 6:1-5, it is the Sabbath, and Jesus and his disciples are hungry. They pluck heads of grain in a field and eat the kernels. Some Pharisees complain that this constitutes working on the Sabbath. Jesus responds that David and his companions also broke the sacred rules when they were hungry, entering the house of God and eating consecrated bread. Jesus concludes, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
This suggests that keeping the Sabbath is grounded in understanding God’s heart, rather than developing increasingly detailed rules and exceptions. The essence of the Sabbath is not choosing one particular day of the week over another. What we need is a proper rhythm of work and rest that is good for us, our families and those we serve.
When we stop our work on the Sabbath, we acknowledge that our life is not defined only by work or productivity. Author Walter Brueggemann put it this way, “Sabbath provides a visible testimony that God is at the center of life—that human production and consumption take place in a world ordered, blessed, and restrained by the God of all creation.” In a sense, by resting, we renounce some part of our autonomy, embracing our dependence on our Creator.
Sabbath rest comes down to an act of trust. To observe it, we must dare to trust God to provide for our needs. It is a reminder that life ultimately depends not on our hard graft, but on God’s provision and grace. This is a challenge—both for those who struggle with the prospect of not having enough and for those who struggle with the peril of not recognizing what is enough.
Prayer: Jesus, help me trust you. I pray that I would honor the Sabbath not out of legalism, but with an understanding of the Father’s heart. Amen.
Author: Theology of Work Project
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