“Sabbath in a Time of Unrest”
Restlessness is a part of living in New York. We over-schedule. We under-rest. We live in a moment of significant cultural tension. Yet God has equipped us with tools and promises that bring rest even in the most stressful times.
In light of this, on May 18 the Center for Faith & Work held the event Sabbath in a Time of Unrest. The featured speaker for the evening was author Judith Shulevitz, (“Bring Back the Sabbath,” New York Times Magazine; The Sabbath World: Glimpses of a Different Order of Time). Shulevitz pointed out the importance of keeping Sabbath consistently in order to reap its full benefits. “What does ‘not working together’ do?” she asked. “It creates community. Not just a sense of community. Real community.”
Redeemer member Lolita Jackson also spoke on how her own discipline of keeping Sabbath had transformed her life and work, sharing that it had opened up discussions about her faith among her colleagues.
The program concluded with Rev. David H. Kim, Shulevitz and Jackson in conversation with each other discussing practical tools for keeping Sabbath. “When I keep the Sabbath, I feel like I am living life,” Kim said, “Without it, I feel like life is living me.”
As a resource born out of this event, CFW has created a free learning path of curated resources to ground participants in a biblical vision of Sabbath this summer. Sabbath rest allows the still, small voice of God to be heard amidst the buzz of a busy city. This summer season can be an opportunity to reset our spiritual rhythms of work and rest.
This online course consists of four main parts:
1. A sermon by Tim Keller on this topic that will explore how Jesus uniquely leads us to a deeper rest.
2. Further readings to help you explore the significance of Sabbath and Sabbath practices. The Marva Dawn selection in particular is an excellent resource that we recommend reading in its entirety if you can.
3. A Sabbath worksheet to help you develop a plan for Sabbath rhythms and practices.
4. A substantive 5-day devotional that provides a biblical overview of the Sabbath.
CFW hopes these materials will help members of the Redeemer community consider what hinders them from setting their work aside to rest.
To access this course, visit faithandwork.com/sabbathrest.
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