O Day of Rest and Gladness

God is continuously teaching us, whether we realize it or not. It could be the importance of repentance, the rest He offers us, how to effectively battle sin, or, as I recently talked to a friend about, the fact that God wants all of us all the time, not just our half-hearted worship on Sunday morning and a Thursday afternoon Bible study. If we don't take time to reflect on where we've been and what God has taught us, we miss an opportunity to give Him praise. We'll still have grown, we'll still have been taught and guided by Him, but if our chief end is to glorify God, we'll have missed a blessing.

With that in mind, I've been looking back over this semester this past week. Without a doubt, God has been and continues to teach me the importance of the Sabbath. And that it lies both in fellowship with the body and an opportunity for us to experience the rest that Christ promises us.

First, what has come for me is the importance of being part of the body of Christ. For the past four years I've been very active in RUF (Reform University Fellowship), but haven't really committed myself to the church. I mean, when I'm here I go, but I would go with other RUF people, sit with RUF people, and then leave with RUF people. This semester, though, I've started helping to play music on Sunday mornings. I don't lead, but I do play back-up guitar. Anyway, because the whole worship band isn't RUF people, it's gotten me connected to the church in new and different ways. I know people beyond my own peer group, and because those connections are there, it gives more opportunity for fellowship, encouragement, and growth.

If you're in a similar situation (ie, in college and attending a church regularly but don't consider it your home church or even feel connected), I would encourage you first to look for ways to serve the body. Nursery on Sunday mornings, participating in set-up or take-down (if needed), or, as some of State's RUFers have done, offering child care for couples going to small groups. If nothing else, these things will put you in situations where it is more comfortable and natural to introduce yourself and strike up a conversation.

If you're in a similar situation (ie, in a church that has college students but you don't really know them), I would encourage you to ask a college student to lunch on Sunday after church or to have dinner with you some night. Free food is a great way to get college students to do ... anything, really. If you're going to watch the game, invite some students over to enjoy it in a place other than their dorm room. Interactions don't have to be to impact or teach: just hanging out is more than enough.

The church is to give glory to God, take care of and support the members of its body, and to be Christ's witness to the world. In my understanding, the first and third purposes are improved as we work toward the second. That is, as we come together as a body, not just a collection of individuals, we are more able to glorify God by our witness to each other and we are more able to point those outside the body to Christ by living out life in Christ.

The other factor of the Sabbath is the rest that Christ promises us. As I heard the other night, "Our grandfathers' generation called it 'the Sabbath', our fathers' generation called it 'Sunday', and we call it 'the weekend'." And that's very true. In my whole time at school I have not made any effort whatsoever to participate in the blessings of Sabbath rest beyond worship on Sunday morning. Homework gets pushed to Sunday night, laundry gets put off until the afternoon, and the day that's supposed to be for us to rest, experience Christ, and to fellowship with other believers ends up being one of the most stressful days of the week.

God made the Sabbath for man, and when we neglect it (as I am very guilty of) we effectively say that we don't want the gift He offers us. In light of this realization, I've taken some very real steps to ensure that I am able to rest on Sunday (and I would encourage you to do the same). Managing my time during the week so that Sunday afternoon doesn't have to be spent on homework has been a growing consideration. In addition, a renewed sense of the fact that I am not to work on the Sabbath has been impressed on me. I don't have a constant job this semester due to my course load, but I have been searching for and doing odd jobs such as moving and yard work. It's been challenging (and costly) at times, but making sure the only work I do on Sunday is works of mercy has been a blessing.

As I'm wrapping this up, I realize that it might come off as prideful and 'copy me.' That's not even close to what I'm trying to say. Here's my point: look at the words of Christ. Look at His promises. Look at the way that the Bible instructs us to live in response to the work of Christ. And do something about it.