Colossians 3:23-24
“Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.”
A few years ago, my older brother shared something of which I have no memory—he said when I was about three years old he saw me wringing my hands saying, “So much to do, so much to do!” It certainly does speak to a natural-born bent I have towards being “task-oriented.” The upside is that I tend to be focused and organized. The downside is I sometimes work to exhaustion until finally collapsing on my bed. One area that is sacrosanct, however, is setting aside Sunday as a day of worship and rest which always includes a good, long, under-the-covers nap. This has been a regular routine for over thirty-five years.
God in His wisdom set a specific model at Creation for us to follow. He labored for six days and rested on the seventh. Taking a Sabbath rest is so important to the Lord, He didn’t just suggest it, He commanded it. In today’s modern culture where the “weekend” includes Saturday—and to some even includes Friday—many no longer set aside Sunday exclusively for worship, rest and prayer. Many are so focused on work—or to the other extreme, entertainment—that they have forgotten the value of the Sabbath. Dietrich Bonhoeffer brought his own unique perspective on the importance of work, prayer and rest:
“Prayer should not be hindered by work, but neither should work be hindered by prayer. Just as it was God’s will that human beings should work six days and rest and celebrate before the face of God on the seventh, so it is also God’s will that every day should be marked for the Christian both by prayer and work. Prayer also requires its own time. But the longest part of the day belongs to work. The inseparable unity of both will become clear when work and prayer each receives its own undivided due.”
I love his words, “inseparable unity.” Each is due its own time and devotion, not taking time away from the other. Work is the most important component of our six days, unified by prayer, which is woven throughout our day, each “receives its undivided due.” There is a balance there. I also love the phrase “rest and celebrate” on the Sabbath. After the six days of working hard, Sunday is a day to put it all down, enter His courts of praise, rest from our labors, refresh our body, soul, and spirit for the week ahead and then to celebrate. That’s why I always write, “Happy Sunday” at the top of our Sunday devotions, to remind us that it is a day of celebration!
Lord, as the Psalmist says, “And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands for us; yes, establish the work of our hands.” Thank you for reminding us of the importance of keeping the Sabbath holy. And when we devote the rest of the week to work, whether it is in the home or outside the home, may we go about our day joyfully and with enthusiasm for the tasks You have established for us. May our work benefit us, our loved ones, and others, and glorify You. And then as we end our week, may we enter Your courts of praise to honor and worship You, the Lord Who gives us work and rest. We celebrate our relationship with you, Father, and it’s for Your sake we pray. Amen.
