What Will I Do?

I had some errands to run today. Nothing complicated, just a series of little stops here and there for simple little things. I wrote them all down before I left so I wouldn't forget any, and so I could travel in an efficient order. Once the list was written, I was nearly ready to tackle it. The only thing left to do was make sure I had everything I would need along the way. That was easy, too.

But then came the question in my head: What will I bring to do if I have to wait somewhere? After all, I was going to have ten minutes of not-driving while my car's oil was changed. Heaven forbid I wind up in such a situation without activity.

Where does this come from? There are some deadlines looming, and there is much to accomplish. It would be easy to pretend that I'm only trying to be efficient with my time, but that's not my deepest motivation. Perhaps I've become so accustomed to consistent activity that full stillness has somehow become uncomfortable.

I think this is a significant part of why God commanded us to honor Sabbath. When I set aside a day each week to step away from the constant activity and conflicting expectations of typical daily life, I test out and gain confidence in what I already know in my head to be true -- that God really is in control, that the world will continue spinning just fine without me watching its every move. It is good to rest in the presence and goodness of God.

I am thankful for the gift of Sabbath.