Where to draw the line...

I had to smile this morning when I was reading in Acts chapter one. After the disciples had watched Jesus being taken up to heaven, they walked back to Jerusalem again. My Bible's translation of verse 12 says that it was "half a mile" from the Mount of Olives to Jerusalem, but the original Greek text says that it was "a Sabbath day's journey." Because walking was their main or only form of transport, it was considered work rather than recreation, and there were Jewish laws limiting how far they were allowed to walk on the Sabbath day.

I thought of last Sunday afternoon, a beautiful sunny day, when I took the four dogs for a walk across our own "Mount of Olives" here in Alhaurín de la Torre: across the fields, up the quarry road, and then meandering through the olive groves on the summit of one of the small mountains that form the backdrop to our town. (See satellite map above.) We covered six and a half kilometres just for the fun of it, and the dogs enjoyed every moment.

I thought of friends, more energetic or more fit than myself, who might do a ten mile run or a twenty mile hike just for recreation. Because our main form of transport is by vehicle, walking is something that nowadays is usually considered a free time or restorative activity.

It does raise the question, though, of what activities in our daily lives are "work" things that we might want to lay aside on our equivalent of a sabbath. Answering emails perhaps, studying for an exam, or preparing work for the next day. It might be worth considering what we want not to do at times, in order to be more fully available to rest and enjoy the Lord. In the rhythm of our life with the Lord, where and when might we want to draw the line, so that we can obey His command about rest and relationship with Him.