Unholy Sabbath

Finding Rest in Egypt

I’ve been working on a writing project for a few years now. However, last year was mostly a wash. I traded my writing time for triathlon training, which meant early mornings and early bedtimes. A few weeks ago, I opened the google doc and read through everything I had written on the subject (about 10,000 words so far) and to be honest, I was really proud of it. I’m both proud of the writing, and passionate about the subject. There’s still tons of work to be done, but I’ve decided to begin sharing some of the writing here for any of my followers to interact with and share there thoughts!

I’m writing about the intersection of Sabbath and Justice— reclaiming a biblical, communal, justice-oriented view of the Sabbath in a world marked by toil, individualism, and economic injustice— a place where Sabbath comes with a price tag that the most vulnerable among us cannot afford.

Here’s a bit pulled from the introduction.

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

—

Author, Andy Crouch says many people are “bound to systems of toil that prevent us from a healthy life, with no good option for escape.”

Does that sound familiar? Is that your story? Is that the story of someone you know and love? How many people do you know who are bound to a system of toil that is keeping them from healthy rhythms their souls were made for - with no good option for escape?

I have lost count.

Andy Crouch goes on to say, therefore,

“Any serious commitment to Sabbath involves doing our best to ensure that the people who serve us — especially those who serve out of sight, not just the waitress but the dishwasher, not just the store cashier but the night shift cleaning crew — are provided wages and benefits that allow for hourly, weekly, and yearly rhythms of rest.”

You could summarize this book as an attempt to unpack and address this issue with radical pragmatism.

Over the past few years, as I’ve discussed spiritual disciplines, healthy habits, and rhythms of renewal with other believers, I’ve noticed this knot beginning to form in my stomach. Do you know the feeling? Have you ever been in the middle of a conversation and experienced your internal dialogue begin to shift as you recognize the privilege of the words that just came out of your mouth? (Like an internal eye-roll at your own words) — Call me overly spiritual, but I think it’s the Holy Spirit keeping us honest. I began noticing that internal eye-roll as I was having conversations about rest and renewal with other friends of mine. Why? Because I have other friends, neighbors, and church family members that are suffering under economic systems of toil that keep them in a constant mode of survival. They’re exhausted. They’re weary. But they can’t afford to rest. And I know that Christ’s yoke is easy and His burden is light, and I know that Jesus will always meet them where they are and take their burdens and give them his, but is it too much to ask for a day off?

I want more for my neighbors and I can’t stop thinking about it. The knot continues to grow. It’s hard to describe. It’s not guilt… But it feels like it. It’s a sadness that I can’t escape, and strangely, I don’t want to. In the pages that follow I intend to think out-loud, ask questions, and hopefully flesh out some ideas that I believe will lead us towards a more just expression of rest.

So let me prime the pump with a few questions.

What if our western culture (and economic system) has created an environment where only a privileged few are afforded opportunities to slow down and be refreshed, while the rest are left wanting…or worse…working to sustain the rest made available to a small percentage of Americans (and the American Church)?

What if biblical rest isn’t an individual endeavor?

What if the Sabbath remains unholy if it’s not made available to everyone?

What if radical justice and sacred community are bound up in God’s divine design for sabbath rest?

This book contains my reflections on biblical justice, holy rest, and tangible steps we can take to make the world more kind, more gentle, and more restful - for everyone. We’re pursuing rest in the land of Egypt, for the rest of us…who aren’t afforded it, but still desperately need it.

This short little book contains three parts that I hope will move us from awakening and into movement. In part one we will discuss the economy of rest in a system of toil. In part two we will discover the communal nature of God’s vehicle for rest. In part three we will flesh out tangible steps we can take to provide rest for those who can’t afford it on their own. I pray that the Spirit would convince you afresh of the beauty and power of a holy sabbath, and lead you into new ways of enjoying that with all of God’s family - especially the weary, whose toil seems to be endless.

—

Please share your thoughts. Have you observed similar things? What questions do you hope this writing project might answer? Is this a topic you and members of your community might be interested in exploring together?

More to come!
Blessings,