People often ask, “What do you do on Sabbath?” It’s one of the most common questions we sabbatarians get. Even from those who are ordinarily lazy or into meditating or enjoy reading.

And it shows the great ignorance the world over of just what Sabbath is all about.

We aren’t focused on doing on Sabbath. We are focused on being.

No we don’t just sit in the corner and stare at the wall all Day.

But doing is not the aim. It’s not the goal. It’s not the purpose of the Sabbath.

Every other day we are meant to be doing. We get up and eat and exercise and work and strive and achieve and pursue and plan and strategize and do, do, do.

Our whole personal world is overwhelmed with doing. So much so that most folks fail to ever remember to slow down, stop, and take the time that is given to us to simply be.

The name of the Sabbath “Shabbat” means to “cease”. To cease what? All that doing that we’ve been doing.

Not forever. But for just long enough.

Just long enough to remember what our doing was being done for. Not for our own ends but for the glory of our Creator, who made us this way, to work six days and rest the seventh, to spend 6 days doing and the last one being.

Sure we sleep and relax and read and pray and enjoy food and fellowship and nature but all that is part of being.

We don’t shop and schedule, do chores and make appointments.

For one day we stop doing and start being, so all our doing has meaning.

And…

We don’t stress and worry. We don’t get depressed and anxious. We aren’t overburdened and burnt out and we aren’t fearful like the rest of the world when they are doing yet never taking the time to simply be.

Why?

Because we are doing what we are supposed to be doing when we are supposed to be doing it. And we are not doing what we are not supposed to be doing when we are not supposed to be doing it.

We’ve learned when and how to do and to be and not to mix up the two or overlook one for the other.

Question Everything

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