I've been sort of impressed at how many questions I've been getting. Seems like you all do care what I think about things, as much as that somehow blows my mind. Today, however, I am using the previous idea of the Saturday Ramble to take a day from questions and talk about rest, play, recreation, and how important they all are.
One time, early in my education to be a pastor, I was in a class with an older gentlemen who was also pursuing a career in the ministry. We were discussing the importance of vacation time. As a Preacher's kid, I remembered how hard it was for Dad to really stay away from work unless we literally left the state, and so I was pushing hard, advocating for fairly regimented vacation time.
Then this elder gentleman, who had been pretty quiet, snapped at me: "This is the problem with the church nowadays, you young people are so obsessed with your vacations and your time off. You know the Devil never takes a day off!" And with that, he sat back, crossed his arms, and smiled, sure he had us all pinned to the wall.
The teacher simply nodded at him. "That's very true. But why, precisely, would we want to use him as an example?"
Bam.
Often forgotten among the really great ideas that come from the Bible is the idea of a mandated day of rest. Of course, it has been abused, like so many things, but what an incredible idea it was to say that a day of the week could not be demanded by employers, but had to be between the people and their creator.
Religious traditions that believe that fun must be evil have placed strict controls on this day, missing what the Bible insisted was the point... it was to be a day of rest and relaxation, not a day of sitting as still as possible in order to avoid sinning.
So take a day, every now and again. The Bible commands it. And, to my Atheists who don't care what the Bible says but for whatever reason listen to me, Pastor Dan recommends it.
Take a day every now and again, and enjoy it. Relax in it. It is a gift.
Enjoy the gift!
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