With all the emphasis on physical health, exercise and diet, you would think that we would be more concerned about resting our bodies. Oh I know that our bodies force us to fall into bed at regular intervals. But many of us struggle to fall asleep. We squeeze so much into the day and then come to a screeching halt, wondering why we can’t relax and drift off into renewal. Just count up the sleep aid ads on TV.
So here’s an historlcal probe. In the ancient world, the Greek philosophers elevated the spiritual life of humans above the physical. The body was somewhat minimal in importance. In fact, in the ancient world, no one ever got a day off from work, except for the wealthy.
On the other hand, the Judeo-Christian worldview embraced the nobility and permanence of the body. It was valuable in itself. Hence, the Sabbath. Every seventh day, everyone in Israel just stopped working. What a relief for the Hebrews, who had slaved 24/7 in Egypt. Imagine a world in which we all stopped once a week just to rest. No religious duties, no scramble to be entertained, no compulsory screen time, no unnecessary appointments. Just quiet conversation, gentle walks soaking up the beauty around us, reading, rich conversation, good food, pleasure, gratefulness. It might not change everything but it seems that it would move us in the right direction.