MARK
2:27
Here,
Jesus was answering the Priests inquiry as to why He let His
followers gather grain to eat on the Sabbath. He quite simply
declared that the Sabbath was not a chain, but a blessing for all. It
gave people the right to rest, for at least one day every
week.
The
people He included in this statement where not just the upper crust,
but it did include the upper crust. And it went all the way down to
the lowliest of slaves. God's commandment to keep the Sabbath was to
insure that all people and animals would get a day of rest each week.
For the Israelites the day was set—Saturday, the seventh day.
As
the faith grew around the world and as Christ came and lived and died
and rose again for us, believers began to celebrate Sunday, the first
day of the week, as a day of rest in honor of His resurrection. There
is a lot of debate a this, but the thing that really matters is that
we take a day of rest every week.
There
was a time in this country when businesses were closed and farmers
did only the absolute necessities to care for their animals and then
they also rested.
Now,
of course, nearly all service businesses are open seven days a week,
but most give their workers at least one day a week off, and most
have been forced to give two days a week off; plus Holidays, and
these holidays have been adjusted to be on Monday, creating a three
day weekend almost every month.
All
of that is to say, that we have been given more time off than seems
right. But it does not stop there; especially if you count sick days,
personal days, and vacation days. WOW. Talk about overkill!!
And
yet, there are workers who do not get all of these privileged days
off: It is those who work hard so that they can work even more; and
they are primarily those who wish to move up the ladder, higher and
higher. It also includes those who work for themselves and want to
push themselves into what is considered successful in our society.
And it includes those who are working for commissions, and pay taxes
as an individual contractor. There are millions of these in this
country. It also includes those who work two jobs that overlap and
keep them working 7 days a week.
This
is a sickness that invades our society so badly that homes are
wrecked, stresses rise, and bodies fail; all because people are not
taking a day of rest—at least one day of rest—each week.
We
call this the “rat race” trying to be cute about it ; but mice
can die of “body failure,” too, if they get too stressed out.
God
gave us a clue and Jesus reiterated that clue: TAKE A DAY OF REST
FROM YOUR WORK EVERY WEEK. Spend time with your family or friends and
relax. Shut off your work computer; shut down your work phone; take
time to breathe. The world will not end because you do that; but you
might end because you did not.
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