Entering Into God's Rest

In our setting of spiritual priorities, it's important that our schedules have some margin, so that we can experience renewal and refreshment.  Hebrews 4 speaks of a Sabbath-rest:
9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10 for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. 11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.  How we spend our time reflects what's important to us - yes, even when sometimes our daily agendas seem out of control, some careful planning can help bring balance to our lives, including a sense of rest amidst activity and renewal even in the middle of the daily grind.   If you study and think about the Biblical concept of rest, you find that God knows how our minds, bodies, and spirits work best, and He will bring His divine order to our lives, ordering our steps and teaching us what is important in our service to Him.

In Matthew chapter 11, the Lord Jesus issues His invitation to come before Him and enjoy peace and rest for our hearts:
28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

A recent piece that you can find on the website of the Association of Religion Data Archives relates declining church attendance in some congregation to participation in youth sports.

In a study of 16 declining congregations in the U.S. and Canada, the reason most cited by clergy and members for falling attendance was the secularization of Sunday, with many identifying children’s sports as most responsible. Researcher Stephen McMullin of Acadia Divinity College in Nova Scotia reported the findings in the current issue of the Review of Religious Research.

“(Parents) will make sure Johnny goes to sports, but when it comes to church, I’ve just seen it over and over again, and even in our own congregation, the families that have children in sport will sacrifice church for the sake of their son or daughter’s sports program, so sports is another huge reason why our church is declining,” one pastor said.

Researcher and pastor Rev. Stephen Fichter surveyed 341 Catholics in one congregation who reported attending only on Easter and Christmas. He said he thought many people would cite disagreement with church teachings or negative experiences. But only 7 percent of respondents gave either of those reasons.

More than two-thirds said the reason they attend only twice a year was that they were too busy with other commitments. Sixteen percent admitted they were lazy. Fichter reported the findings at the joint annual meeting of the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion and the Religious Research Association.

Churches are trying to meet this challenge that has emerged with the so-called "sports culture". 
Research has shown congregations that offer multiple opportunities for members to participate in church life are more likely to experience growth.

 Offering sports programs “is a point of entry,” said David Roozen, director of the Hartford Institute for Religion Research. “Often the biggest competition is for young families with kids.”

Some 36 percent of congregations in the 2010 Faith Communities Today survey, including more than four in 10 evangelical Protestant congregations, reported at least some emphasis on team sports, fitness activities and exercise classes.

More than two-thirds of congregations who said sports and fitness programs were a specialty of the congregation reported more than a 10 percent growth in attendance from 2000 to 2010. In contrast, only a third of churches with no athletic programs reported such growth.

So, we do see churches adapting to cultural trends, making activities and worship services accessible when there are scheduling conflicts.   It's a fact of life - and while many Christians attempt to revere Sunday, regarding it as the Sabbath and purpose to follow the 4th Commandment, other demands seem to make it less plausible.

I do believe one of the components of spiritual health is having time to renew and recharge before the Lord.  And, if our hectic schedules prevent us from spending time in the presence of God, then perhaps we have to allow Him to restructure our spiritual priorities and to help us develop a schedule to reflect those priorities.   Devotion to Him and time with God are essential elements to living a life that pleases Him - we can break the cycle of overcommitment by allowing Christ to set our agendas and to structure our lives.   And, I believe that we can incorporate recreation, but not at the expense of spiritual rest.