We have a family motto “you can go play when the work is done”. The problem for me is that the work to be done keeps growing. The older I grow, the more practiced and efficient I seem to become at making lists and finding things needing to be done; and that is without others adding to the pile. I have multiple email inboxes, an in-basket, a clipboard, many ‘to do’ lists and calendars.
It occurred to me one day that I will go to my deathbed and still have not emptied my inbox or finished everything on my lists. Does that mean I never get to play?
Jesus reminds us that the Sabbath was created for man and not man for the Sabbath. (Mark 2:27) God knew what he was doing when He rested from His work on the seventh day. The Sabbath day is gift and not a duty. It is a blessing for us to rest from our work for one full day, once a week. And that rest surely includes a rest from the oppressiveness of the lists, the various inboxes and in-trays.
Experience has shown me that when I take a Sabbath to reflect on my Creator and gain an eternal perspective, my focus for the next week becomes clearer. I am less likely to become obsessed with the irrelevant and overwhelmed by the ‘to dos’. Sabbath’s help me to clarify my priorities and dot point items on the lists lose their urgency and tyranny. Thank God for weekends!
Sadly I am a slow learner. I confess that it is very tempting to use my weekend to push through and clear the pile or cross off a few more items off the list. And sometimes I do just that. The bit I forget is that before long I lose the perspective I so clearly need. I have also discovered an irony: as quickly as I efficiently action items, my inbox seems to grow exponentially. If I am going to live and enjoy the days my Creator ordained, I need not wait until my work is done before I play. It is okay to ignore the inbox for just one day!
Am I the only one that needs to be reminded of this?
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