Last month, many readers responded to my column on Sabbath. Many of the comments and questions were focused on rules: which day of the week should it be? What should be prohibited?
For someone who doesn't practice any Sabbath at all, to argue about the day is to jump too far ahead in the journey. As we mature in our Sabbath practice, God may lead us to a specific day. But we have to start where we are, and often, that means just being convinced that taking a day off is a good idea.
Ironically, many churches are the ones pushing people to work (i.e. volunteer, attend endless meetings, etc.) on Sabbath.
The word Sabbath comes from the Hebrew word Shabbat. It's a verb, which means primarily to cease or desist, and secondarily, to rest.
In other words, God says, on the seventh day, Shabbat: simply stop. Stop running, stop working, just as God did on the seventh day of creation. He ceased his labor and enjoyed what he had made.
Is doing children's ministry work? Or is it worship? Or perhaps both? ...
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