Rev. Joel Benson

I am declaring a day of Sabbath rest. You do not have to do a thing.

The first book of the Bible, Genesis, tells us that God worked for six days and then God rested and did nothing.

It is a pattern that has been set from the beginning of God's story with us, God's people. Work for six days and rest for one.

We have been told we have to do so much during these days. We are doing multiple things at once and often in different ways than normal.

I fear we are not resting, relaxing and taking a break from the patterns we have newly established. So, there is nothing mandated by this proclamation.

You do not have to have more faith, trust or belief.

You do not have to be parent, worker and teacher all at once.

You do not have to worry, fret or be afraid.

I do not want to add another thing to all the things you are already doing, and so I am saying to you, rest.

Stop. Rest. Put down all the stuff of the six days of work, worry and doing 30 things at once and rest.

Stop doing and be.

Be a child of God at rest in the peace that passes all understanding and in the steadfast love and everlasting faithfulness of God.

The Rev. Joel Benson is pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Butler.