Psalm 127 part 2

Psalm 127:2

In vain you rise early
    and stay up late,
toiling for food to eat--
    for he grants sleep to those he loves.

I’ve never been a night owl but, lately I have been staying up late. I have been battling with sleep issues this whole year. I was diagnosed with sleep apnea this spring. CPAP therapy has been a huge help but it takes a holistic approach to regulate my sleep. The psalmist is speaking against workaholism and hustle culture that is prevalent in our society. The psalmist tells us it is in vain that we work so hard and yet struggle for food and rest. We serve a God who grants us rest. Why is it that we are not willing to rest?

Sabbath is a way of life that runs counter to every culture in some form. We are slaves to our economic systems. Now hear me this is not me shaming anybody. Every human throughout history has been subject to economics systems in some form or another. In our contemporary system we have become more enslaved. We are blessed with convenience and dopamine machines but we are also deeply lonely and anxious. We lack rest and community. At some point in history we traded away community and rest for these conveniences and dopamine machines. I think we are on the losing end of that trade.  

What if we had more rest in our lives and we ate more within community? 

How do we live more counter culturally? 

How do we make sabbath as a way of life?

These are the questions that I am asking. I desire to live out sabbath but sabbath has always required community. Will you join me in this pursuit after Sabbath?

​

David LaLone

Pastor and Poet