I have seen many posts by full-time children’s pastors about the need to take a day off and rest, a Sabbath rest. When I question how a bi-vocational or volunteer children’s ministry leader is to observe the Sabbath and take that rest, the answer often dilutes the commandment implying that it may not eb an entire day, but to take some time to rest, maybe one evening.
Recently I began to ponder about what the Bible actually says about the Sabbath and how man may be manipulating it. Let’s take a look at the passage form Exodus 20:8-11 (ESV):
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.”
At no point does it state which day of the week the Sabbath lands. When I use a calendar, I have a choice to begin the week on a Sunday or a Monday making the seventh day, the Sabbath, either Saturday or Sunday depending on which option I choose. So which day was the first day of the week and which day becomes the seventh day of the week? Is there a specific day, or do we insist that it be on Saturday or Sunday because most people work at their jobs Monday – Friday.
The commandment says that we work for six days and keep the seventh day as a Sabbath to the Lord, to keep the seventh day as a day to remember the Lord. I know that at my FT job, I can do things to honor the Lord, but I really cannot focus on the Lord as I need to focus on deadlines and the workload. I need to take that time off to focus on Him. As we take that time focusing on God, we will be renewed spiritually. Isaiah 40:31 (ESV) reads, “but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”
As we wait on the Lord, rest in Him, He will renew our strength.
So the question still remains, how can I keep the Sabbath if I am bi-vocational and serve as a children’s pastor or director? I would venture to say that the day that you are teaching the children, focusing on Him, not just while you’re teaching, but throughout the day, you are honoring the Sabbath because you are not performing your “normal work” focused on deadlines, or your normal work, but are rather focused on God, acknowledging Him and all He is. The Sabbath is not specifically to rest, to nap, etc., it is to give the day to God, to acknowledge Him.
Keep in mind that physical rest is also needed and is just as important as spiritual rest. Be intentional about getting rest for your physical body and be intentional about keeping the Sabbath, taking time to put the normal workload behind and focus on God.
