| The Joy of Service |
Chapter 24 |
Page 6 |
True Sabbath rest, however, is not merely the cessation of all effort, the dropping of all work. As far as possible we should seek to be freed from the common tasks of the other days. Happy is he who can leave behind him, on Saturday night, all his weekday affairs, to enjoy a Sabbath in heavenly places, as it were, engaged with thoughts and occupations all together different from those of the busy week. This even alone gives rest.
As for the Sabbath itself, it should be a day for the uplifting of the whole life. A tourist among the Alps tells of climbing one of the mountains in a dense and dripping mist, until at length he passed through the clouds, and stood on a lofty peak in the clear sunlight. Beneath him lay the fog, like a waveless sea of white vapour; and, as he listened, he could hear the sounds of labour, the lowing of the cattle, and the peals of the village bells, coming up from the vales below. As he stood there, he saw a bird fly up out of the mists, soar about for a little while, and then dart down again and disappear. What those moments of sunshine were to the bird, coming up out of the cloud, the Sabbath should be to us. During weekdays we live down in the low vales of life, amid the mists. Life is not easy for us; it is full of struggle and burden bearing. The Sabbath comes; and we fly up out of the low climes of care, toil, and tears, and spend one day in the pure, sweet air of God’s love and peace. There we have new visions of beauty. We get near to the heart of Christ, into the warmth of His love. We come into the goodly fellowship of Christian people, and get fresh inspiration from the contact.
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