"Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day's own trouble be sufficient for the day." (Matthew 6:34)
I believe that Sabbath, at its root, is the practice of being unproductive. And being unproductive is a difficult discipline to master for two main reasons:
1) We have to believe that there are benefits to being unproductive.
2) We have to believe that the consequences of being unproductive are worth it.
The first difficulty could actually be described as the "Light Side of Sabbath." After all, there are positive outcomes to taking a break. For example, when we stop working, we are given the freedom to do something that fills us up. For some, this non-work-related activity may involve reading a good book or playing a musical instrument. For my wife, being filled-up means doing something creative; writing or painting or working in the garden. For someone else, the best Sabbath activity is inactivity. There is a reason that ancient Sabbath included an entire 24-hours; an entire sleep cycle is automatically included. In a week where many people get up early and go to bed late, a normal period of sleep sounds like a dream. There are benefits, we Christians believe, in being unproductive
However, this "Light Side of Sabbath" does come with a cost. If we are unproductive for a whole day, or for even part of a day, if we take seriously the call to embrace this divine hedonism, we have to let go of all the things that will not get done. We have to believe that the consequences of our inactivity are worth it. Jesus put it this way, "Do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself." In other words, the unfinished bathroom is a small worry in light of rest and clarity of thought. The dust bunnies under the couch don't really matter in light of the thrill of playing with the children. The laundry that has filled the hamper to overflowing will not get washed because we believe that our time with a joyful Creator is more important.
The logic is easy, the implementation is hard.
At least it was hard for me on Sunday. On Saturday, I didn't get as much done as I wanted to get done. Then, on Sunday, we woke up, we hurried up, and got to church. We stayed for Sunday School, and then we came home. I was already way behind and the weekend was coming to a close. So, during the preparation of lunch, I recalled numerous projects that are in various stages of completion. There was this sinking feeling that I just keep getting further behind. My checkbook beckoned with an irresistible siren's song. The bathroom taunted with its exposed studs and bare plumbing. But there is also another voice. One that isn't so shrill. One that invites me to let the day's own troubles be sufficient for the day.
It took some doing. I failed several times. But I finally pulled myself away from the checkbook and embraced the Light Side. I visited with my wife. I watched an incredible arm-wrestling match between my son and his best friend. I had a good visit with our sons and some of their good friends that they hadn't seen for a while. We talked in front of the fire and reconnected...with one another for sure, but also with God.
The bathroom and treehouse still call. But they can wait until tomorrow.
Church Stopping. Less Doing. More being.
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