Wilderness Survival.

Junior-high Me owned a book entitled “WILDERNESS SURVIVAL.” I was obsessed; I wanted all the survival skills: Dig a hole, fill it with chopped-up green plants, cover it with a plastic tarp.  Set a stone in the center to weigh down the plastic, leave a can beneath the stone.  Why? Because as the plants dry, the evaporation will collect on the plastic covering, the brick will ensure the moisture drains to the center, and it will drip into the can.

Here are top survival skills according to online sources: 1) shelter building, 2) fire building, 3) water purifying, 4) foraging for food, 5) first aid, 6) fishing and trapping, 7) reading a compass, 8) signaling, 9) making a weapon, and 10) tying three key knots.

Life on earth is all about survival.  Building a home—whether in the jungle or the middle of New York City—is all about survival: shelter, food, and water. 

The Bible encourages us in these pursuits, including hundreds of pages of guidance on shelter, food, illnesses, and more.  But the Bible also commands us to regularly stop our pursuit of survival.  Stop working.  The Sabbath requires we stop using our survival skills: stop building shelters, lighting fires, harvesting food, building weapons.  Stop all of it.

“You … must PRACTICE SELF-DENIAL; you must not do any work” Numbers 29:7.

God allows us to enjoy so many things. We love our jobs.  We love our food. But can we say no? Do we PRACTICE SELF-DENIAL? Do we rest from our work? Do we practice fasting in order to focus on worship? 

Honoring the Sabbath is not just about going to church.  It is as drastic as fasting—honoring the sabbath means stopping ALL our survival skills: stop working on your shelter, your food, your future, your income.  Stop what you are doing to sustain a physical life and focus on your spiritual life.  Worship God instead of your gifts, skills, and talents.  Can you stop everything and spend the day praising your CREATOR?

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