In my Sabbath keeping experience, I have never been sadder to see the Sabbath end than today. I caught the crud earlier this week and took Thursday off work to get better… which of course didn’t happen because my cold didn’t realize that it wasn’t supposed to be with me when I woke up Friday and needed to go to work. I spent today in a true Sabbath rest mostly on the couch with intermittent short naps. The last nap was a bit long and when I roused myself I realized I was just in time to see the Sabbath leave and the words, “No I don’t want the Sabbath to be over yet” fell right out of my mouth. Of course, I can continue resting if I choose to but my mindset will not be the same.
Today, I spent some time reading a book by a Christian author and one of his points about our relationship with Jesus and with God the Father is that as Christians we should have “a serene sense of gentle contentment.” He brought out the point that the apostle Paul was content regardless of what was happening to him, whether he was free or in prison, hungry or well fed. The author is trying to bring home the idea that true contentment is not directly related to your physical but rather your spiritual and emotional state. We should have the understanding that as long as Jesus is in charge of our lives “…that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).
Contentment and gratitude have been duking it out with resentment and feelings of jealousy in the back of my mind for well a few years now. I need not rehash the battle details with you. But suffice it to be said that I’ve finally realized who the general of the “Bad Feeling” army is… who is it that doesn’t want me to be happy? Is that God? Throughout scripture everyone who truly follows Him has great contentment in their lives and happiness serving Him. The devil is the one telling me “you deserve better.” Well the devil is right, I do deserve better… As a Christian I deserve to remind myself that God is in charge, and I have a right to happiness and contentment! I may not have a right to a better paying job etc. but I do have the right to enjoy the blessing found in the job and the life I have in this very moment. What beautiful gifts are peace and joy. And not the joy the world brings but a contented joy, a satisfied joy, dare I say, a holy joy of resting and being content in my Savior.
I don’t know how long this feeling of “gentle contentment” will last for me today. But I pray that both you and I remember that we are welcome back to rest in the pasture of the Lord at any time when we go astray. We don’t have to wait for Him to come find us. We can feel His loving pull and with prayer and supplication turn around to His fields ourselves. The Sabbath may be over for this week but with perseverance and much prayer we can enjoy the fruits of the Spirit all week.