A Theological Defense of Rest

A Theological Defense of Rest

What is the 3rd Commandment? Remember the Sabbath Day by keeping it holy. What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not despise preaching and His Word but hold it sacred and gladly hear and learn it. (Luther’s Small Catechism)

Because of Luther’s excellent teaching, we always focus on the need for Christians to hear the Word of God whenever we discuss the 3rd Commandment. In other words, Christians need to go to Church to receive God’s Word and Sacraments. This is certainly commendable and right, but there is more to this commandment.

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore, the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy (Ex. 20:8–11).

Notice that God primarily distinguished between work and rest. While Luther is absolutely correct that we should focus on God and His gifts to us on our Sabbath day (Sunday, the Day of Resurrection), it is just as important that God gave us a day to rest. I have noticed that we Lutherans are really good at defending the need to be in Church on Sunday mornings, but we are not good at defending the need for people to rest.

Our modern world is obsessed with productivity. Glance at a self-help section in any bookstore, and I guarantee that a decent percentage of the books are about being more productive. Podcasts on how to focus and get more done abound. Because of the internet and phones, jobs are a call or a few clicks away. Even the term “workaholic” does not have the negative connotation it should; instead, it is often used as either a self-deprecating joke or a mark of pride that one’s life is so productive.

This mindset has even infected our downtime. Hobbies and sports eat up our evenings and weekends. Tidying up the house, doing yard work, and trying to catch up on home projects fill our time at home. Even when we do sit down, relax, or take a nap, we often feel guilty that “we aren’t doing more,” or “we’re not spending our time wisely.”

All of this flies in the face of God’s intention with the 3rd Commandment. God Himself –the all-powerful who never gets tired – rested on the seventh day. How much more so do we need rest, we limited creatures who get tired constantly and can only live moment to moment. This rest is another of God’s gifts to us.

So, ensure that you take a day off to rest. Spend the time with your friends and family. Read a book, be outside, watch a show or movie, play a board game, enjoy your hobbies, converse with others, or simply take a nap. Don’t do chores or yardwork or sort through your email on your phone. Don’t feel bad when you use the gift God has given you. If possible, take your rest the same day you go to Church. After you receive God’s gifts of Word and Sacrament, enjoy His gift of rest the remainder of the day. If your vocation requires you to work the same day you go to Church, rest another day of the week. Through it all, remember Christ’s words: “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27). Enjoy God’s gift of rest! Let it restore you so that you can return to your vocations with more vigor.

A blessed summer to you,
Vicar Mars