Practicing Sabbath

I have taken music lessons since I was six years old, so I know what it means to practice. It means doing something again and again and again. Do it when you want to; do it when you don't want to. Do it when you excel; do it when you fail.

By this definition I have been practicing Sabbath. Sometimes I'm looking forward to it, sometimes I'm looking for ways to get out of it. Sometimes I excel, sometimes I fail. I keep doing it, keep practicing.

My first lesson was that simply ceasing to work does not produce rest. Even if I am not cleaning the house or putting in hours for my job there are still so many ways to avoid silence, holiness, and rest. Email, for example, or the internet and television. These are recreational and entertaining, but they do not bring peace.

Of course, ceasing from work is not actually possible. I've heard several people describe their ideal Sabbath similarly to a day at the spa - leisure activity, favorite drinks, music and ambiance on hand. But I don't believe this is the goal of Sabbath. Just as my body requires me to continue pumping blood and breathing oxygen even during physical rest, so my family and community require the provision of at least basic life giving care. And for the ancient Hebrews who had no benefit of technology and leisure hobbies this was even more true. Spiritual depth, even during holy rest times, comes from real life.

So as I am cutting out work and entertainment I am actively trying to add in peace. On the Sabbath I play quiet music. We have a special candle which has already created a strong association for the boys.

And there was one time when both boys were actually napping. Since I couldn't pick up toys, unload the dishwasher, fold the laundry or log into email I just looked out the window. The view was of old, cracked roads and a piled dumpster. But over all that I could see the tops of a half dozen trees. And my soul filled with joy and worship.

It is for these brief moments that I am continuing to practice. The joy of the Lord is worth practicing for.

Isaiah 58:13b-14a
"If you call the Sabbath a delight
and the LORD's holy day honorable,
and if you honor it by not going your own way
and not doing as you please or speaking idle words, then you will find your joy in the LORD.