Episode 051 – The Sabbath Pt 3: Do You Have Rhythm

Key Passage(s): Exodus 20:8-11

We are not beasts of burden. We were not designed to go, go, go. And yet for most of us, we struggle to slow down. Our lives are constant noise, and we’re so drowned out in our schedules that we fail to see the insanity for what it is. Sabbath teaches us that there’s a rhythm and a cadence to life. It slows us down and emphatically reminds us that in order to be healthy, we must prioritize rest. Rest is not a reward. It’s a necessity. But even more than that, it’s the engine that’s intended to power our lives.

Discussion Questions

  • What was your biggest takeaway from the teaching?
  • Has there been a time where you kept pushing on when you should have rested? What was the outcome? How could it have been different?
  • Pause and consider the beat that is driving your life right now. Is it just frantic noise, or does it have soul?
  • What is keeping you from taking these regular pauses in your life?
  • Had you ever considered that Adam and Eve’s first full day was a day of rest? How does the idea that we work from our rest change your perspective, if at all?
  • What is one step you will take this week to embrace God’s rhythm of life?

For Further Study

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9 Comments

  1. Bill Black January 29, 2019 at 4:29 pm - Reply

    Interesting how many times the beginning is referenced Ber’sheith (sp)
    Holiness is copying God, thus loving Him with all your heart and soul?
    Sabbath:
    Body gets rest aaand
    the land gets rest and that’s important to YEHOVAH. He treats His Garden with loving tenderness.
    Know what He still rests every 7 days and guess what, He’s looking for us to show up?
    What happened after the 7th day of ..rest… in Gen 1?
    The 8th day and marvelous et ha Adam (the Man)was created in the garden not outside it!

  2. Tru February 4, 2019 at 12:12 pm - Reply

    I love that you are doing a teaching on this. I was brought up with the saying if you aren’t busy than you’re being lazy. It’s okay to rest!

  3. Cheri February 4, 2019 at 3:08 pm - Reply

    I honestly struggle with what this looks like in my life. I work five days a week, care for my family and home, and serve in my church in leadership. I carve out niches for rest and recreation throughout the week, but I’ve seldom been able to set aside an entire day for rest. I look forward to hearing you address this issue for people like me.

    • Brad Gray February 13, 2019 at 10:54 am - Reply

      And I can’t wait to do so, Cheri. The upcoming Episode 7 in this series will be really helpful.

  4. Jim February 7, 2019 at 8:10 pm - Reply

    I knew that Egypt’s calendar was different, but had forgotten that it was based on a ten day week. How interesting to realize how different, perhaps somewhat traumatic, it must have been for the Hebrews to adjust to the new rhythm of a 7 day week when they left Egypt. Also, being a drummer myself, I was fascinated by your analogy of the soul of the drum being found not by the beat itself, but by the breaks in the beat. I had never considered that the soul of our lives is created by the breaks in the beat. Cool!

  5. Deborah May 8, 2024 at 1:10 pm - Reply

    Our Earth is depleted of nutrients because it wasn’t allowed to rest every 7th year. Now we are just using man-made fertilizers and our food doesn’t have near as much health benefits it once had. There are other issues as well but the ground needed to rest too.

    • Brad Nelson May 10, 2024 at 8:33 am - Reply

      Excellent insight Deborah. If you’re interested in a deeply theological and exceedingly practical reflection on that very idea, you would love Wendell Berry’s book The Gift of Good Land. So much to ponder. Thanks for your insight!

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