Pausing in the country we serve in means taking a nap after a big lunch, or at least lying down to rest. The two-to-three-hour lunch break recognized by many businesses and schools leaves ample time for a midday rest. There is a yearly rest during the Lunar New Year when nearly all businesses are closed for a week. Preparation is a must!
Pausing in my passport country tends to be weekly—sometimes Saturday, and usually Sunday. During a few holidays throughout the year, there is pause to stop work and celebrate.
Surely breaks look different in each culture, even each family. The key is to actually take the pause.
Our line of work can sometimes lead to busyness, overworking, striving to achieve to send home that glowing report, or simply desiring to meet the needs around us. We can become a slave to our work, not usually out of a desire to climb the pole of success or earn more money—ha!—rather, it’s often stemming from the compassion and desire to help those in need around us. It’s so hard to say no, right?
What if we stop looking at Sabbath, pause, and rest as saying no, but instead saying, “I trust you, Father, to meet all the needs today, including my own of needing rest”? What if we lay down our pride and assumptions that those around us need us daily? Don’t they need the Father so much more?
Growing up in the US, I always knew Hobby Lobby (a mega store with all things crafts and décor) was closed on Sundays. Christian-owned, they have stood firm on closing one day a week to rest. So we planned accordingly when we needed to go. When Chick-fil-A (a fast food joint) came on the scene and declared that, because of the same values, they would close on Sundays, the memes started flying about how after church, all everyone wanted was some CFA . . . but we couldn’t have it. People balked at the idea of closing on a weekend day—they could make so much more money if they were open seven days a week! But they have stood firm. I think it has only made their lines longer on the other six days. Likewise, when we opened an education business a few years ago, local parents thought we were crazy when we said we wouldn’t hold classes on Sundays—one of the two busiest days of the week for extracurricular classes.
When we step back and look at Scripture, it’s very clear our caring Father wants us to take a weekly rest, just like he did. Genesis 2:3 says, “So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation” (ESV).
Exodus 20:9–10 commands us to work six days and take the seventh day off. Now, does it say it has to be Sunday? Nope. Some of our jobs require us to work and serve on Sunday. So choose another day!
Some may ask what is allowed or not allowed on Sabbath. This discussion can get legalistic very quickly. The most basic idea, as the Word says, is to take a break from work. Whatever work looks like for you, that’s what you step away from. If you are in the community serving others, you step away for a day. If you’re a teacher, you pick one day you won’t teach. If you are a stay-at-home mama, you skip dishes and meal prep for a day. It will take preparation to make the rest day actually restful, but it’s always worth it.
Some of our cultures, and often our organizations, have an unspoken pressure to perform. Achieve. Do more. If you’re struggling to take a Sabbath, it may be worth it to analyze where this pressure is coming from. Yourself? Locals? Your org? God? Once pinpointed, we can seek the freedom the Lord offers in relinquishing our plans and ideas to follow his commands. Because he is a God of love and kindness and truly cares about us as whole human beings, he knows we need this weekly pause to rest and rejuvenate in order to gear up for another six days.
Matthew 5:13–16 reminds us to be salt and light. Sabbath can be a way we stand out and make others wonder why we would say no to good opportunities on a particular day. As our family has continued to protect our Sabbath over the years, our friends and teammates have learned to respect the boundaries we’ve set up.
Serving in and coming from two cultures that value success, busyness, and achievement, we have the chance to showcase the beauty of rest the Lord created and even the blessings that come from it—for starters, energy to tackle the next week! What a beautiful opportunity to share our freedom and faith in a good, good Father.
What does pause look like for you? Do you have to fight to protect your Sabbath, and if so, how do you explain to others this weekly tradition is necessary?
*****
This summer seems hotter than previous summers. Although we have air conditioners in most rooms, the kitchen is not one of them. I wake up to a cool bedroom, but as soon as I step out, I’m hit with warm, sticky air. While usually a fan of warm food for breakfast, I had to shift gears this summer. I needed a cool start. (Never mind that I always drink a hot cup of tea with breakfast… I’m always perched under the AC while sipping!) I’ve seen dozens of recipes for overnight oats or chia pudding float around for the past several years, but just never tried it. Before we left the US, I tried my hand at chia pudding, but, for whatever reason, it never set up and was just runny milk with seeds. So when I saw this basic recipe that added oats and chia seeds, I knew this might be my breakfast for summer! I’ve had it nearly every day and a few of the kids beg for it as well. You can do so much with this recipe—the add-in options are truly endless!
Overnight Oats
Serves: 4
Ready in: 8 hours
Slightly adapted from Eating Bird Food
2 cups old-fashioned oats
2 cups milk
1 cup plain yogurt
2 Tbsp honey or maple syrup
3 Tbsp chia seeds
splash of vanilla, optional
Add all ingredients into a jar or container with a lid. Stir well. Wait 5 minutes and stir again. Refrigerate for 5–8 hours. When ready to eat, add any toppings you’d like!
This stays well in the fridge for 5 days. Perfect to make a big batch and have no-fuss breakfasts all week!
Topping suggestions: granola, fruit, dried fruit, nuts, coconut, peanut butter, protein powder (mixed in), chocolate chips, etc.!
b e a u t i f u l l y said!
Thank you! 🙂