Reading for Feb 4-10, 2008

An excerpt from “Way to Live: Christian Practices for Teens”, edited by Dorothy C. Bass and Don C. Richter

Observing the Sabbath is a commandment. But in Jewish tradition the Sabbath is regarded even more as a gift, because each Sabbath is a reminder of how much God cherishes earth and the human beings made in God's own image. After creating the heavens and the earth, plants and animals, and finally, people, God sees that it is all very good. So God rests for a whole day, spending time with these creatures-being rather than doing, enjoying rather than working. God blesses this day (see Genesis 2:1-3). It's a wonderful day of grace.

Later, however, humanity turns away from God, and God's chosen people end up in slavery. Slavery is the opposite of Sabbath. In the book of Exodus, we read about how the Hebrew people were trapped in Egypt- making bricks for Pharaoh all day every day, unable to have any time off work at all. They cried out, and God heard their cry and led them out of bondage. Once they were free, God commanded them to keep the Sabbath. You are not slaves anymore, God told them. One way to remember that you are free is to take a whole day off, every single week, even when you think you don't have time to rest. And make sure that your animals and the people who work for you get to have a day off too!

In the very busy world of the 21st century, many adults work as if they were slaves-some because of severe financial need, some because their employers do not treat them fairly, and some because they are obsessed with work itself. Teens need to be aware of how a slave-labor mentality might develop in them during and after high school as well. And then- whether Jewish or Christian or practicing another faith-teens need to listen to this ancient word about freedom and accept the gift of Sabbath time-time to be rather than do; time to enjoy other people and creation; time for genuine, deep freedom.

Sabbath is not just empty time. Sabbath time is restful and renewing because it reorients us to God. It is time full of God, and for that reason, a time of true freedom. Therefore, the Sabbath has been and continues to be a day of worship as well as a day of rest for the Jewish people.