A Great Excuse Not to Make Your Bed?
by Michele Husfelt on June 24, 2024
Yesterday was Sunday. Many Christians also refer to it as Sabbath. However, some believe Saturday is Sabbath. And some (especially those who must work on Sunday) attach the name and meaning to another 24 hours during the week. The Jewish who observe Sabbath would argue it begins at sundown Friday and concludes at sundown Saturday. Regardless of the time one sets aside, the observance of Sabbath is an important discipline every follower of Jesus must consider.
For some, Sabbath is a complete rest from any work or labor. We know Sabbath comes from the Hebrew word shabbat meaning to rest, cease, or end. For the Orthodox Jews, pushing an elevator button constitutes a sin on Sabbath. However, others view the parameters from different perspectives. For instance, most farmers, for the health and well-being of their animals, must muck stalls and provide feed every day, including Sabbath. Some are adamant lawn work and mowing should be off-limits. Others argue those tasks are relaxing and therapeutic, and the perfect way to celebrate Sabbath. I know some who celebrate Sabbath by leaving their beds unmade, a rather freeing act to some, while others would not be able to function the rest of the day, knowing their bedroom was left that way.
Some people believe Sabbath is a great idea. God reminds us throughout Scripture that it is a commandment. It is one of the 10 Commandments.
Exodus 20:8 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work…
Some are happy to comply as long as they are caught up on all their chores and tasks for the week. Yet, we read in Scripture that even the women tending to Jesus’ lifeless body recently taken down from the cross, paused from their most pressing need to prepare their Lord’s body for burial. Just because it was Sabbath.
Luke 23:56 Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments. On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.
Today while reading Mark 2:27, The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath, I was reminded the Sabbath was created for our benefit. It is not a rule to burden us. Rather, it is an admonition from a loving God who created us, knows what we need, and wants the very best for us. He understands how essential rest is for our mental, physical, and emotional health. We possess a higher capability of productivity when we allow our minds and bodies to regularly rest.
We may not agree on the exact timing of Sabbath, or even see eye-to-eye on permissible activities for this set-aside day. We may not even concur whether the Sabbath is considered a good excuse to not have to make the bed. But here are a few thoughts I believe we can all acknowledge and embrace:
1. The Sabbath is a great day to connect with friends and family, enjoying the company of others. Eating together was a common pastime in Jesus’ day. Rarely was there a gathering that didn’t include a meal. Inviting friends over for a bite to eat or lemonade on the front porch is certainly a Sabbath-approved activity.
Luke 14:1, One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee… he turned to the host. “The next time you put on a dinner, don’t just invite your friends and family and rich neighbors, the kind of people who will return the favor. Invite some people who never get invited out, the misfits from the wrong side of the tracks. You’ll be—and experience—a blessing. They won’t be able to return the favor, but the favor will be returned—oh, how it will be returned.”
2. Sabbath is an opportunity to reflect on the freedom we have in Christ. As we move through our intentional time of rest, it is important to recount God’s faithfulness to His people through the ages and to us. Spend time reading, praying, and sharing about the freedom you’ve experienced.
Deuteronomy 5:15 You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore, the Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.
3. Sabbath affords us the gift of recognizing we have enough. The first and best example is when God completed the creation of the world and entered into a time of rest. His task was complete. He accomplished more than enough. Sabbath offers a small amount of time to reflect and recognize we have enough. I am mindful not to focus on producing but rather delighting and enjoying, because in Jesus, I have enough.
Genesis 2:3 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.
How does Sabbath play a role in your week? What are some practices you can begin or cease, to honor the Lord with your celebration of His gracious and loving command to rest?