The Holiness of the Seventh Day

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The Sabbath by Abraham Joshua Heschel

“In the language of the Bible

the world was brought into being

in the six days of creation,

yet its survival depends upon

the holiness of the seventh day.”

The Sabbath by Abraham Joshua Heschel

Chapter 8:  “Intuitions of Eternity”

On the seventh day, God surveyed the list of remaining work projects, pondered it long and hard, then did just one task on the list.  That was it.  The other tasks could wait a day.  The seventh day list was crumpled up and tossed into the celestial trash can.

Initial-word panel from the first
page of Genesis, from a miscellany
of biblical and other texts
including the Pentateuch,
France, 1277-1286.
From the British Library Catalogue
of Illuminated Manuscripts.

At some point in my professional life—probably around 15 years ago—I turned to lists to rescue me.  I was drowning under a sea of promised work assignments and personal projects, and I needed a way to ensure that most were accomplished.  I embraced the then-popular idea of being available 24/7.  It sounded great at the time.

Since then, I’ve created over 5,000 lists (365 x 15, minus a reasonable number of vacation and sick days).  Every morning, I compose my daily list, combining genuine work activities, long-term personal projects (like my blogging), and the daily grind jobs like laundry, dishes, and cleaning up after the dog.  My “big picture” task list is stored in the computer and covers broad goals for the month. After printing a copy of the “big picture” in the morning, I hand write all the achievable tasks that I hope to accomplish within the week.  Next I assign numbered priorities to the day’s tasks.  Then I get to work.  During a good work day, nothing feels better than crossing tasks off the list!

Thanks to this system, I’ve been able to manage my professional workload, write two blogs, and maintain reasonable order at home.

But now I’m messing with success.  Inspired by The Sabbath by Abraham Joshua Heschel, I’ve decided that—for me—the Sabbath should be a day without a list.

Two weeks ago, I didn’t run off a list on Saturday morning.  I didn’t check my work email.  I didn’t do the laundry.  I didn’t even blog!  (You can check that:  no 21 Essays or Tour America’s Treasures blog entries were published on April 6.)

The following morning, the world was still functioning just fine.  I easily caught up on my work email, I did the laundry, and I blogged.  But I was rested.  Even better, I had the prospect of another day of rest just six days away.  There are six days for service and creation (I can still be available 24/6!).  But there’s one day set apart for rest (not available:  24/1!).

Getting back to my opening story, remember that one task God accomplished on creation’s first seventh day? 

God blessed the seventh day and made it holy.

“In the language of the Bible the world was brought into being in the six days of creation, yet its survival depends upon the holiness of the seventh day.  Great are the laws that govern the processes of nature.  Yet without holiness there would be neither greatness nor nature.”

The Sabbath by Abraham Joshua Heschel

Chapter 8:  “Intuitions of Eternity”

Detail of above:  Initial-word panel inhabited by dragons.
From the British Library Catalogue of Illuminated Manuscripts.

Reference Sources

The Sabbath by Abraham Joshua Heschel
Sabbath Keeping by Lynne M. Baab
Keeping the Sabbath Wholly by Marva J. Dawn
A Day of Rest: Creating a Spiritual Space in Your Week by Martha Whitmore Hickman

© 2013 Lee Price