When I was growing up, my folks had serious rules about resting on Sundays. I’ll admit, my brother and I thought our parents used it as an excuse to be lazy. We praised Jesus on Sundays and that was it. Period. We went to church, came home, ate a big meal, and took a nap. We finished homework on Saturdays. My daddy never mowed the lawn after church. He never churned his famous home-made ice cream either. My mama prepared Sunday meals mostly on Saturdays. She refused to even grade her Chemistry papers on Sunday. Yep one thing’s for sure, if you were in my family resting on Sunday was mandatory.
As a little girl, I figured everyone on my street probably did the same thing. Instead of staying up late on a Saturday night watching the ‘Dukes of Hazzard,’ they were carefully selecting their Sunday best. Maybe they too were coordinating shoes, hats, and gloves like me. Later, in High School, I realized no one cared what they wore to church. Most of them didn’t even go to church.
Suddenly, I became aware of all the Sunday activities going on. I watched as the neighbors manicured their lawns, construction people hammered things while smoking something other than cigarettes, and kids were riding bikes and eating ice cream. It became blatantly obvious. We were the only ones napping and watching Lifetime movies on Sundays, and that was so not cool.
Now as I strive to become a sold-out Gospel girl, I appreciate my parent’s ambition to honor God by practicing a day of rest. Resting is a gift from the One who created us. God knew His baby girls would feel insane come Friday afternoon at 5:00pm. He knew we may feel like throwing in the towel. He knew we’d be tired of all the running around. So He commanded us to take a day for reflection, restoration, and rejuvenation. After six crazy days of being plumb worn out, who wouldn’t want some of that?
If our ambition is to imitate Christ then maybe we should begin taking inventory of our Sunday activities. Maybe scratch a few things off our “to-do” lists.
I love how the Message paraphrases Exodus 20:9-10 (HCSB, emphasis added):
“Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Work six days and do everything you need to do. But the seventh day is a Sabbath to GOD, your God. Don't do any work—For in six days GOD made Heaven, Earth, and sea, and everything in them; he rested on the seventh day. Therefore GOD blessed the Sabbath day; he set it apart as a holy day.”
God set us apart for Himself just like He set apart the Sabbath as his holy day. He knows what we need even before we do. Maybe he knew how busy we’d all become and wanted to ensure we stopped at least once a week to spend quality time with Him.
I don’t always rest on Sundays like I should. But when I do, I feel like a new woman. For me, resting removes the crazy and chaos and replaces it with peace and serenity…just the way God intended.
How do you honor God on Sundays?
I've got way too much on my plate (you know, you read my post already). I am seeking to honor Him in every way and am praying diligently on what He'd have me scratch off my list. Sunday's are spent at church in the morning and in the evening, but the time between is for family or naps in my hubby's case!
ReplyDeleteI love, love, love this! Most of the time we come home for lunch, then nap or at least rest for a few hours. Then we do a little 'picking up' around the house before bed. I love this 'resting on the Sabbath.' But there are Sundays that are so rushed from church, to the next thing, then to another thing. I love when you said God know His baby girls would need a rest. He knows we need to take it easy. He created us that way. Great post! Thanks for this.
ReplyDeleteI confess, when it gets to Sunday all I can think about is what didn't get done the week before and what I don't want to carry over to the next week... laundry... school schedules... cleaning. And, being married to mr type A doesn't help either :)I want that day of rest and need to do a better job at securing it for myself. Great encouragement... love you!
ReplyDeleteSunday's is a day of rest for me and my family, we go to church and after church we have a meal and then we spend it resting at home. I guess it is also a part of my up bringing where you enjoy the family because everyone is on the go during the week Sunday is only time where everyone comes together and be a family. I love my Sunday's
ReplyDeleteI'll be honest, while we try to find that time of respite on Sundays, it doesn't always happen as it should. In many cases our resting time gets put aside for "what has to be done" for the week ahead.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the reminder, and the encouragement!
Have a Blessed Day!
For us, Sundays can be one of the busiest days of the week. God created us to rest and I want to find my rest in Him. Thanks for this great post!
ReplyDeleteI love that you've put this into words. It's only been in the past year or so that I've come to accept the rest offered on a sweet Sunday afternoon. You're right! It's God's gift to us and also helps to charge us up for the week ahead. How wonderful that you now see through the eyes of a grown-up God girl just how precious that rest truly is and how your parents practiced it in the home so long ago.
ReplyDeleteBlessings to you!
Thank you for your post on restful sundays. In my home, we rest and nap and lounge the whole day thru. We feel cheated if for some reason the nap gets bumped off. Did not our creator rest on the 7th day? Yes! We need to be following Him in His example of laying down the cares of the other 6 days and just be restful, physically and mentally. An awesome reminder! Thanks for stopping over at my blog!
ReplyDelete~Jennalane
we usually clean on Sundays during naptime, maybe I should think about resting instead ;-) thank you for this!
ReplyDeleteGreat reminder of how important rest is to God. If the creator of the universe needs it...we need it too! :)
ReplyDeleteI grew up very much the same way and it has been on my heart recently to once again make Sunday a day of rest. This post was such an encouragement to me and a reminder to make space in my busyness for Sunday rest.
ReplyDeleteReading your post was like taking a long, cool drink on a dry, summer day...
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing about the blessing of taking a true Sabbath. At one time, after a long stint of Mega-ministry and finally reaching burnout, I learned what this meant. But how quickly we heal up and get right back to the busyness. Thanks to your words, and God's quiet way of amen-ing those things we happen upon that speak His heart, I think it's time to re-establish this observance in my life ;)
Forever grateful,
Tracye
Wow! I really, really love that idea! Make Sunday a day of rest. I wonder if I can implement this tradition?
ReplyDeleteMy growing up was similar, but not as strict. Church, big meal, a nap, more church, popcorn, talk, bed. That was our day. Looking back it was a good rhythm. I have a friend who talks about Sabbath being the ultimate form of trust. We rest and trust God that things will get done during the other 6 days.
ReplyDeleteSo good to jam with you!
When I spend alot of time and energy in minisitry on a Sunday I feel as if I should take another day to rest during the week..
ReplyDeleteBecause.. He said so!
Great post.
Every Sunday after church we have a huge group of college age students over to our house for lunch. We eat, hang out, watch football or movies and share our lives with one another.I love it! Haha!
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