Finally Sabbath

It’s the seventh day, the day God rested. He came to the garden with Adam and Eve and just enjoyed his creation. As a maker I can relate.  When I’ve completed a new project I find myself just staring at it. I made that, with my own two hands, I made that and it’s good.  So Adam and Eve were in this constant state of sabbath while they lived in the garden. They were companions to God, His own creation just living a beautiful life in this beautiful place that God had made for them.  But then, they went and acted like humans and messed up the plan.

It’s easy to look at this event and say UGH! Adam and Eve were a couple of idiots, they screwed it up for all of us. But I look at it in a different light. God could have very well created those two humans to just love and adore him for ever and ever. He could have a couple of little pets in the terrarium he made for them. He could come and visit and love them and feed them and just be happy forever. But He didn’t. God made humans and wanted them to WANT to love Him. So he cared for them and gave them an easy life. But, because they were human and built with a decision making free will, they messed up.

God in the old testament was angry and sad and disappointed that his human creations would disobey him after all that he’s provided for them. So He kicked them out. But not only did He kick them out, He just pushed them out the gate and locked it behind them. So they could see the garden and everything they lost while they worked and toiled on the outside.  Ouch! Talk about punishment.  So now Adam and Eve are on the outside. They have to survive on their own. They have to learn how to grow food and build shelter. Keep in mind, they weren’t just left to nothing. The entire world was created in a system. Everything works together to support life, we humans just have to figure out the system (aka science).

So now Adam and Eve work hard every day for survival. Does God hate them? NO.  They made a choice, and each choice takes you down a different path.  The choice to disobey took them down the hard life path. God is still with them, He still cares for them and still wants them to enjoy the world He made for them. After every six days of work God communed with his humans for a day. Why? They betrayed Him.  He still loved them. They were His children.  When my son disobeys me, I get upset, I ground him from electronics and he gets extra chores for a week, but I still love him.

So on the seventh day, Adam and Eve could put down their work and rest. Enjoy the world and the systems created to sustain them. Our bodies were not designed to work 24/7. We need time to recharge. Sabbath is a gift. If I want to take a nap today, I can without guilt. If I want to snuggle with my kids and watch a movie, I can without worrying about the orders I have in my studio. I get to take today, and recharge.  I’ll start the day with fellowship among my friends. These days we do that via online video, but we catch up, pray for each other and read our book together. We will go to the church sermon (shorter, modified version) to hear our pastor’s message. Then we come home and just relax as a family.  Enjoying our time together. I need it, I need time to love and rest.

Lord, thank you for the gift of Sabbath. thank for you designing a space to recharge.