One Sabbath Day

For many years I have taken a Sabbath on Saturdays. In the Jewish tradition, the Sabbath begins at sundown on Friday night and continues until sundown on Saturday night.

I didn’t start taking regular days off or Sabbath days until I was forty-four and went through an emotional breakdown. I knew I needed a more balanced life, but a rest day back then made me anxious. I was like an adrenalin junky who needed a daily ministry fix to keep from being agitated.

Mark Buchanan’s book, The Rest of God: Restoring your Soul by Restoring Sabbath helped me learn to enjoy Sabbath days. He teaches how we can rest as we grow in trust and thankfulness towards God.

Buchanan has a non-legalistic approach to the Sabbath. If making pancakes for your family helps you relax, then cook away. If you prefer to go to the diner, then feel free to go. If puttering in the garden refreshes you, then putter away. If you would rather watch the birds than trim the roses, relax and enjoy them.

It took focus and discipline before the Sabbath became a part of a lifestyle that enriched my life, but it’s now my favorite day of the week.

Sundays are work days for pastors. By the time I worshiped, preached and prayed with people in our three weekend services, I would usually be hyped up on adrenaline. I would spend the remainder of Sunday and half of Monday recovering.

These days, my exercise includes hiking, gym workouts, tennis and golf. For me, competition and exercise enhance life. Since I exercise five or six days, on Sabbath days I let my body rest.

I was enjoying a Sabbath before Mother’s Day when I got a phone call at noon. My friend Tom Donahue, who leads a church in Mesa, asked if I would be willing to do a 2:00 PM memorial service. The director of the funeral home next to Tom’s church came to him because a pastor just canceled, leaving a family with no one to lead their memorial service. Tom had a church service scheduled, so he asked if I would help.

Before Tom’s call I had read my Bible and enjoyed time with the Lord in our back yard. I had finished reading the Wall Street Journal, took a nap and ate lunch. I didn’t have anything scheduled until dinner that evening.

Driving a half hour to Mesa in 100 degree heat to lead a memorial for someone I had never met didn’t sound restful, but I felt sad that a man had died and there was no one to lead his memorial service.

Jesus said, “It’s lawful to do good on the Sabbath” (Mat.12:12). I love to preach the Word and bless people with the grace of God, so I told Tom I would to do it, and he gave me the contact info.

I then called a friend in Mesa and asked if he would do the service. He said he was too was busy, so I phoned the funeral director.

The director thanked me for calling. He told me the family was Jehovah Witness and their pastor had canceled. He then asked me how much I charge.

I have done thousands of sermons, memorial services, weddings and dedications over the last fifty-three years. On the rare occasion when someone asks how much I charge, my response has been, “I don’t charge for my services. You can give me an offering or donate to my ministry, that’s up to you.” Some people are generous, others give nothing.

Doing a wedding properly requires pre-marriage counseling sessions, the wedding rehearsal, the ceremony, and the reception. I officiated weddings for ten years before I received an honorarium for over $100. I used to wonder how much the couple would have paid a plumber for five visits plus travel time.

Nevertheless, for the first time ever, I gave the man a price. A pastor friend had asked me to do him a favor that morning and he had offered me $200. I did the favor but I wouldn’t accept his money, but the amount was still in my mind.

“Two hundred dollars,” I told the director.

“Perfect,” he replied.

I then phoned the widow who was at home preparing for the service. I wanted to get insight into her husband’s life so my message would be personal. She told me about her three marriages, her six children, and her husband who had just died at fifty-six. I asked about their relationship with the Lord. She cried as we talked and prayed together. Before we hung up, she asked to change the service time to 2:30.

I then looked over my sermon notes and changed clothes. As I walked out our front door, Kristina said, “Be careful. You don’t know what you are walking into.”

I’ve been walking out our door to lead meetings and go on ministry trips for over fifty years and Kristina had never told me to “watch out,” so I took her caution to heart.

I drove to Mesa and walked into Tom Donohue’s church in the strip mall by the funeral home at 2:00 PM. The congregation was filing out the door because their service had just finished. I greeted Tom and his family, and then headed across the parking lot to the funeral home.

I was welcomed by the director. The first two rows of seats were already filled with family members, but the widow was running late. We went into the director’s office and he gave me a check.

I went back into the main room and greeted the family. They had been told the service would start at 2:00. I told them it was not going to start until 2:30 and anyone who would like to say a few words would be welcome to speak. Then I went back to the director’s office.

The director told me they had just found another pastor who would preside over the service, which would now start at 3:00 pm.

What?!

“No wonder the lady hasn’t shown up yet. She probably doesn’t want to see me.”

I asked him if he would like his check back. He told me to keep it for my time. I thanked him and headed back into the main room to say good-bye to the family. I felt bad that they would have to continue waiting.

I stopped by Tom’s church again and he introduced me to a few of his members. Tom mentioned he needed a bigger place to meet because his congregation had outgrown their building. I told him I would introduce him to a pastor in Mesa who might be willing to rent them his sanctuary on Saturdays.

As I drove home, the freeway was closed, so I had extra time to think about what had happened. Did I just waste my time, or was there a purpose in my Sabbath day being disrupted? Did I sell my Sabbath for a check? Did I offend the widow when I asked about her faith and prayed for her? Was I simply dismissed when they finally found a pastor from their group? Maybe Tom’s church will get a better building and that’s what this has been about?

Sometimes we don’t know how the twists and turns of life work for God’s purposes. We trust that everything works together for the good in our lives, but we must leave the weaving of the pattern of time and purpose in his hands because it is beyond our comprehension.

One of the greatest gifts God can give us is an appreciation of each day as we go through it. Time is an unrenewable asset. It is never wasted if we are learning and growing and loving others. Thankfulness and trust do not increase the time given to us, but they can enhance our appreciation of every experience every day.

The Sabbath is not an end in itself. It is designed to help us enter God’s rest each day. If we slow down and draw near to God, the revelation we receive can enhance each day and enable us to be more fruitful. Entering God’s rest can deepen our relationship with the Lord, who is always showing us his love.

Whatever our trials and tests, may we receive each day as a gift with the blessings and glory God has prepared for those who love him.