Sabbath is a gift, not an obligation

Do you want to echo the New Creation? Make sure you don't forget to include a Sabbath in that. Sabbath is not something that God introduced because of the fall. It wasn't as if communications technology was invading every recess of our otherwise overcommitted lives and preventing us from ever spending silent time alone with God, and so God introduced Sabbath. It wasn't because we were so caught up with what God's law still requires of us and what is no longer required of us, that when we realised that Jesus didn't restate the Sabbath command we quickly put in in the 'don't have to do that' box and got on with other things. It wasn't because we're so proud that we think God's kingdom and the world will fall apart without us so we can never just turn our phones off and go AWOL for a day... While all of those things are true, that's not why God instituted Sabbath.

God instituted Sabbath prior to the fall, he built it into the very fabric of creation, and he built it there even with his own omnipotence, which I'm sure means he never grows tired. Which really means that there's no reason either in creation or in us that provides the impetus for Sabbath, and therefore there's nothing that can be fulfilled or perfected such that Sabbath ceases to be both precious and necessary.

I have no doubt there will be a rhythm of work and rest in the New Creation. I have no doubt it'll look very much like Sabbath. If we are to anticipate the New Creation in our lives here, we will include Sabbath. And we do this not because it's sin not to, but because it's who we are and what the New Creation is.

In our over busy lives, Sabbath is a gift. Do you need an excuse to tell your social set you can't attend another function: Sabbath. Do you need a reason to convince your Session that you shouldn't be contact-able 24 hours a day 7 days a week: Sabbath. Do you need permission to stop and spend time with your wife and kids: Sabbath. Space to be a better parent: Sabbath. Space to look after your high blood pressure: Sabbath. Sabbath is the gift of God for the rest of his people and his world.

Don't scoff at it and try to minimise it, thank God for his precious gift of Sabbath.