I don’t think I realized how much I needed the rest and reset until several weeks into my time away. Before I left, some of you told me, “You deserve this break.” I appreciate your sentiment, encouragement, and words, but I definitely did not deserve this sabbatical. It was a gift. Thank you elders, personnel committee, staff, deacons, and congregation for letting me take this sabbatical–this season of rest or reset from typical or normal labors. Professors often use sabbaticals to research and write, and I was able to use this sabbatical for reading and writing. (More on this in a future post).

The concept of sabbatical is rooted in the biblical concept of Sabbath. In the coming weeks, I plan to address the idea of Sabbath in sermons and lessons, but the important lesson of the biblical idea of Sabbath is that it is a gift. Consider the first Sabbath. God rested. He created for six days, then modeled rest on day seven. Day seven was actually Adam and Eve’s first full day. Think about it. Adam and Eve’s first full day alive in the garden was a Sabbath day, a rest day, a day of fellowship with God. They didn’t received the Sabbath as a reward for their labors, but rather as a gift from God.

This season of sabbatical has taught me that I need to Sabbath regularly. I must set aside a day of the week to intentionally rest from normal labors. Sabbath is for rest, worship, service, and play (Yes, play. More on this in a future post/sermon). One author suggested that what we should do on Sabbath is what gives life and not what drains life. I think that is why we find Jesus healing on the Sabbath so often in the New Testament. Sabbath rest is a gift from God for our wholeness and our health. I’ve not always done well with setting aside regular labors to rest, worship, and focus on God. For me normal labors would be emails, sermon preparation, planning, vision, leading meetings, etc. Ideally, on my Sabbath, I would rest from these normal labors (and generally rest from my smartphone). This is likely to be for me Friday evening through Saturday evening as my regular labors include preaching on Sunday mornings.

Here are a few Sabbath reminders for us all. First, Sabbath was made for man, not man for Sabbath. Legalism and judging others (as exemplified by the Pharisees in the New Testament) defeat the purpose of Sabbath. Second, Sabbath is an opportunity to worship. Most of us will be able to Sabbath on Sundays as we gather for regular worship and a regular pause in our weekly labors. Third, Sabbath is a gift of rest. Whatever you do or don’t do (activities) on your Sabbath (if you choose to keep one), rest should be a part of your Sabbath. Again, I hope to share more about this in the days to come, but for the moment review Paul’s reminder in Colossians 2:16-19:

¹⁶ Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. ¹⁷ These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. ¹⁸ Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind,¹⁹ and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.

Ultimately, fellowship and relationship with Jesus through the gospel is the entry point and the purpose of biblical Sabbath. I don’t share with you these thoughts about Sabbath to create new rules or become legalistic. Rather, I share them because I’ve become convicted regarding my own need to slow down, meet with God, learn to trust him, and rest in him.

I’m deeply grateful for the staff and elders and deacons at WBC during these several weeks. Being able to rest and reset has been good for me, but it has also been good for WBC. Others have led, preached, taught, and served. The church is a body, full of members who love and serve one another. Shared leadership and shared service is good for our building up in Christ. See Ephesians 4.

This season of sabbatical came at just the right time. With my father’s death just as my sabbatical was beginning, I was able to grieve and not drown myself in work. Church family, thank you for letting me care for my father over these past several years, for the many of you that ministered to him and to me, and for your support of me and my family during this season of grief. This time away to grieve, rest, and reset have been good for my soul. To Wilkesboro Baptist, I say thank you.

There were many things I missed during these several weeks. I thought I would miss preaching the most, but actually the thing I missed the most was singing with you all on Sunday mornings. It was such a blessing to be in worship on Sunday February 22 to sing along with the choir, children, praise team, and congregation. What a wonderful and meaningful experience of congregational worship!

For much of the past few weeks, I read, rested, and wrote. Next week, I plan to share a post reflecting on several of the books I read. Thank you for the privilege of be refreshed and filled as I return to the office and my responsibilities as pastor.

Photo by Emmanuel Phaeton on Unsplash