Abstract
In a beautiful book titled Wrestling with Rest, Nathan Stucky enriches his readers with the concept that rest is grace (p. 2) and, therefore, to be short on rest is to be short on grace (p. 3). This rich insight includes Sabbath rest as a celebration of God’s work rather than human work (Exod 20:11). This is highlighted in Chapter 4: ‘On the Seventh Day, God Rested,’ which expounds Karl Barth’s emphasis on Sabbath as the finishing of creation (Gen 2:1-3). Rest is creative. While Stucky’s sub-title indicates his goal of ‘Inviting Youth to Discover the Gift of Sabbath,’ the book is also a valuable resource to older persons who are called to minister to youth, or are seeking to remain young at heart. Readers of all ages will appreciate the numerous stories (about youth) that illustrate and explicate the intersection of grace and rest.
Stucky’s attractive writing style is evident even in his chapter titles. Chapter one, ‘Wrestling with Rest: Whoever Said This was Easy?’ points out that we can become so obsessed with work that work becomes easier than rest! Chapter three discusses an ironic creative tension between being ‘Anxious for Rest . . . Anxious at Rest.’ True rest is more than the cessation of work. We need is to learn to rest from anxieties that pursue us even when we are not working (pp. 99-100). A similar tension is explored in chapter two: ‘Rest is for the Weak . . . and You’ll Die without It.’ This chapter critiques the slogan (rest is for the weak) by demonstrating how neglect of authentic rest is killing even those who possess the strength of youth.
Chapter five, ‘Jesus and the Sabbath,’ addresses what is central to a Christian view of the Sabbath by highlighting similarities and differences between Moses (the mediator of the Sabbath law) (pp. 129-130) and Jesus (the Lord of the Sabbath) (p. 133). This leads to a wonderful exposition of the significance of Jesus’ Sabbath healings, confrontations, community, teaching, and death. These Sabbath events emphasize God’s radical grace (pp. 142-144) and our proper response to grace in faith and praise (145). Representative of the deep wisdom presented in this chapter is the statement that ‘healing on the Sabbath comes to those at rest’ not to those at work (pp. 142-143).
In addition, according to chapter six: ‘What Do We Do Now?’ Sabbath is not only an idea to be contemplated. We are called to ‘practice Sabbath’ by receiving and responding to the grace of God (p. 154). As such, Wrestling with Rest is a book on practical theology, as announced in chapter one (p. 21) and reiterated in a helpful appendix: ‘What Is Practical Theology?’ (pp. 179-184), followed by notes (pp. 185-220), a bibliography (pp. 221-227), and an index (pp. 228-230).
I enthusiastically recommend Stucky’s book, which is a pleasure to read and leads its readers into the grace of a rest resulting not from working at keeping the Sabbath but from resting in the everlasting arms of the Lord of the Sabbath.