One of my favorite indulgences, which I treat myself to a few times a year, is Real Simple magazine. I find it somewhat ironic that a magazine about simplicity has slick ads for so much stuff, but it’s still a fun magazine to read.
This month, just in time for the cold and flu season, Real Simple featured an article on boosting your immunity. I expected tips on hand-washing, but the article made no mention of hygiene. It did, though, advise a low-fat, high protein diet and exercise as key factors in keeping your immune system strong. The article also had a few unexpected tips; citing studies on how singing while playing percussion instruments—or even petting your dog—elevates levels of antibodies.
The item in the list that caught my attention most: “Resolve to really relax.” Apparently, stress suppresses circulation of immune cells, and elevates levels of cortisol in our bodies. Cortisol is a stress hormone that hampers white blood cell function (i.e., immunity). So taking time to relax lowers cortisol levels and enables your body to better fight disease.
In other words, Sabbath-keeping can boost your health. Taking time to relax and rest will set your body’s chemistry back in balance. You’ll boost immunity even more if your Sabbath includes a visit to church—especially, apparently, if there is clapping and singing.
Living in Sabbath Simplicity—a sanely paced, God-focused life—is not only good for you spiritually, it appears that it is also good for you physically. Which makes sense—God created us with bodies, and his rules for living, including Sabbath-keeping, are designed to help keep both our bodies and our souls in good shape.
Sabbath-keeping does not have to be a legalistic practice. Rather, it’s a chance to spend one day of your week focused on what Jesus said were the two most important commandments: Love God and love others. It’s a gift to receive, not a thing to “do.” What if you could put your tasks aside for just 24 hours out of your week, so that you could worship God and show love to the people around you? Your body, and overall health, will benefit.
Do you take time to rest and relax? It can bring energy to the work you do with kids. You know that if you get a good night’s sleep, then you have great energy for the tasks of the day. Sabbath works the same way. By taking a day to rest, we are empowered to fully engage in our work or ministry for the rest of the week.
Rest, according to this magazine article, boosts our physical immunity. But what about our spiritual immunity? Our souls can fall ill to cynicism, burnout, anger, resentment. Sabbath-keeping strengthens our immunity to these as well. Sabbath is a day when we stop achieving and doing; and yet, we are still loved by God. We realize that God still adores us when we remain still—that his love is not dependent upon our accomplishments. This strengthens our souls, and enables them to resist the infections and temptations we’re exposed to each day.
When my son was a toddler, I loved to put him on my lap to snuggle. He was a cuddly little guy, and I cherished those moments. Occasionally, he would jump up and want to show me a trick, demonstrating with pride, for instance, his ability to stand on one foot. Or he’d run to bring me his latest Lego creation. While I admired the things he made and the things he could do, those were not the basis of my love for him. In fact, I preferred just spending time cuddling with him—his presence on my lap, stroking my arm, was precious to me.
What if God, our heavenly parent, sees us in the same way? What if our accomplishments aren’t as important to him as our presence? What if our hearts are more precious to him than anything we do? When we take time to rest, to Sabbath, we get to experience that unconditional love. That’s the gift of Sabbath.
Keri Wyatt Kent is the author of Rest: Living in Sabbath Simplicity (Zondervan) which will be in stores January 1. Learn more at www.keriwyattkent.com.
© 2008 Keri Wyatt Kent
