It is so important for human beings to have rest that God enshrined it in The Ten Commandments.
“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labour 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 …” The Lord blessed the Sabbath and made it holy. (Exodus 20:8-11)
But what does ‘holy’ mean? Well, the root meaning of ‘holy’ is something separate, something different, something special.
So one day of the week was to be different from the others.
And what does ‘rest’ mean?
Throughout the ages, people have had physical jobs so they were to do little on that special day, and there was even a limit on how far they could walk – less than a mile.
But what about today, when many do not have physical jobs, but rather work with their brains? How do we rest our brains?
I find gardening and long walks (far more than a mile) peaceful and mentally relaxing. But I do not wear headphones. It is the silence that gives my brain a rest.
Quiet is calming.
Maybe one of the reasons why some people suffer from mental stress is they do not give their brains a rest.
Many are anti-silence. The radio or TV is on. They listen to the car radio or to something on their headphones. They are continually doing something on their iPad or iPhone.
Why not try complete silence for part of one day a week? Give your brain, as well as your body, a rest. Have a Sabbath.
Michael Penny, Chair of Churches Together in Reading and Berkshire
