I was away for a 24-hour retreat from Monday noon-Tuesday noon(ish). Lutheran pastors and church workers from our circuit (a group of churches in the Okanagan and surrounding areas) gathered at the St. Elizabeth Seton House of Prayer just south of Kelowna to pray, read Scripture, and talk with one another about what's happening in our various ministries for support and encouragement.

Though it was a short time away, it was a fantastic one. It was a time of true Sabbath for us as workers. You'd think that church workers would be fairly adept at the practice of Sabbath, seeing as how we're practically professionals. But the truth is that we can easily lose sight of what Sabbath means and get so caught up in the "busy-ness" of ministry that we miss the incredible blessings of unhurried, yet focused time spent in the Word and prayer.

Sabbath is a church word that essentially means "rest in the Lord". It was begun by God as he rested on the seventh day of creation. It was a command in the Old Testament: "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy". It was a literal day that was "set apart" (that's what "holy" means) to rest, gather with others in fellowship, and read the Word of God. Six days were for work, and the seventh was for "holy rest".

Over the course of history, Sabbath has been used, abused, misunderstood, and rejected. Even in the Bible, there were those who misunderstood was Sabbath was actually for (usually seen in confrontations with Jesus - see Matthew 12:1-14 and Luke 13:-10-17 for examples).

As New Testament people, we no longer have a command to set aside a whole day, since Jesus fulfilled all of the Law on our behalf. For the Jews, Saturday is the Sabbath. For Christians, Sunday became part of the weekly rhythm, since that was the day of Jesus' resurrection. So instead of meeting on the "seventh day" for worship and rest, we meet on the "first day of the week". For us, Jesus is our Sabbath rest (Hebrews 4:4-11).

At the same time, there is still much benefit in Sabbath for us. We don't honour Sabbath in order to get right with God; we honour it because we already are, and it's a great way to say "thank you". We honour it because it helps to preserve us physically, spiritually, and emotionally. We honour it because it can be a tremendous witness to those around us: we aren't defined by what we do (contrary to what Batman says in Batman Begins); rather, we are defined by what's been done for us. This is a message that is completely contrary to our culture.

So if we don't have a command to take one day a week, what does Sabbath look like for us? Well, we don't need to take a whole day, but it sure is a good practice. Sabbath is not just "time off" or "down time". It is time off "to the Lord". I think Eugene Peterson defines it simply and well: it's a time to "pray and play". It's a time to do things that are rejuvenating for us: taking a walk, playing a game, lying down and resting, having a good meal with friends and family, whatever it is. But it is also intentional time for prayer (alone or with others), attending worship, reading Scripture, fasting (as you choose), etc. It is "resting" (though there may be very active times), but it is resting that is mindful of the fact that we are resting because God did, and because God gives us this rest.

For most people, Sunday morning can be a time of Sabbath. It's a time to gather for worship, hear God's Word, and respond with song and prayer. But for those who serve on Sunday mornings, that time may or may not be Sabbath for them. It is time spent "feeding" others and there are other times for them where they need to be fed. (Yes, it's probably a bit of both/and for most of us.) For "professional" church workers especially, times like this retreat are very helpful in getting some Sabbath rest.

I'd encourage you to talk with your family and friends about what Sabbath could look like for you. (I will not fall into the Pharisaical trap of trying to define exactly what "work" or "rest" means. That would miss the whole point!) Think of things that you can do that the world would probably deem "unproductive" - those are perfect candidates for Sabbath. And if it's something you have to do, then it's probably not a good candidate. Some practical ideas:

• taking a walk and praying as you walk, or before or after you walk
• have a meal and play a game with family/friends on Saturday night, followed by going to worship together Sunday morning (or taking Sunday and doing it in reverse order)
• keep a prayer or Scripture-reading journal and spend a few minutes each day reading praying, and writing
• learn Martin Luther's practice of oratio, meditatio, tentatio - the prayerful (oratio) and contemplative (mediatio) reading of Scripture and then experiencing the often-times difficult results of living it (tentatio = temptation or suffering)

Obviously these are just a few examples. Really, anything that feeds your body and soul in a healthy and God-pleasing way can be a good part of Sabbath. If you're an introvert, reading (both Scripture and devotional books) and praying alone may recharge you well. If you're an extrovert, a lively discussion with others may help feed you. Whatever it is for you, just remember: rest in the Lord, pray and play.

Happy Sabbath-ing!