The origins of the Labor Day holiday are disputed, but it is believed that the first observance of Labor Day took place on September 5, 1882 in New York City under the direction of the labor unions. The intent for the holiday was to demonstrate the great strength and recognize the many contributions of the working class. In truth, the original observance of Labor Day was less of a party and more of a protest. Whatever the case, the initial outing was so successful that the organizers decided it should become an annual event complete with parades, picnics, and festivals for the enjoyment and entertainment of workers and their families.
There are few things we Americans enjoy more than parties and protests and, within a decade, the holiday spread across the country. Oregon was the first state to legally recognize the holiday in 1887, with Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York following suit that same year. By 1894, twenty-three more states had joined the party. So, on June 28, 1894, Congress passed a bill recognizing Labor Day as a national holiday and President Grover Cleveland signed it into law that very day.
even the strongest and most skilled among us need to slow down and stop from time to time. Unfortunately, rest is not always A respected ideal in our culture.
The potential and power of hard work is a core aspect of the American identity. The American Dream is predicated upon the belief that every person has the right to pursue a better life through the strength of their backs, the work of their hands, and the dogged determination and indomitability of their spirits. While this ideal is perhaps a tad overly optimistic and, at times throughout our history has been uneven in its application, it is an amazing dream and has served as a motivating force in the lives of countless men and women through the years.
But, even the strongest and most skilled among us need to slow down and stop from time to time. Unfortunately, rest is not always a respected ideal in our culture. We are led to believe that while we are resting someone else is out there working a little bit longer and a little bit harder, and that little bit could very well be the difference between which of us gets to live the dream. Consequently, we add an extra hour or two of practice in the evenings. We begin to volunteer for yet another extra hour or two of service on the weekends. We accept an extra shift or two throughout the week. Before we know it, we’ve filled in most, if not all, of the empty space on our schedule leaving little time to slow down so we can allow both our bodies and our spirits to rest and renew.
Throughout the gospels, there are numerous examples where Jesus withdraws from the crowd to rest and pray. One of my favorite instances is found in Mark 4. Jesus, after several days of working essentially non-stop, decides to take a cruise across the lake. The preceding chapters tells us that he and his disciples haven’t even had time to eat, and they need a break. As they make their way across the lake, Jesus lays down on a cushion in the corner and takes a nap. He’s so exhausted and so deep in sleep that when a storm threatens to sink the boat, he doesn’t wake up. While Jesus sleeps, the disciples are still grinding away doing all they can to stay above water. Realizing they are fighting a losing battle, they wake Jesus saying, “DON’T YOU CARE IF WE DROWN?!” Jesus gets up and yells at the storm, “QUIET! BE STILL!” The storm immediately subsides and He turns to the disciples and says, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
there must be time and space for us to sit back, relax, recognize what has been accomplished, and refocus for the next round.
A few things jump out at me as I consider this story. First, if Jesus, the almighty Son of God and God in flesh needed to slow down and rest now and again, we do too. There will always be one more thing that needs our attention or effort. But, there must be time and space for us to sit back, relax, recognize what has been accomplished, and refocus for the next round. Second, those who claim Jesus as Lord and Savior need to remember we aren’t alone in the proverbial boat. It is not only through our efforts and abilities that we will accomplish great things in this life. Our work should be done with the understanding that it is for God’s glory and with the help of His power and presence in our lives. Finally, when we’re working and feeling overwhelmed, perhaps even as if we are drowning under the weight of it all, we need to fix our eyes on Jesus and find rest in the fact that if we put our faith in Him, He will see us through.
I love the fact that Labor Day is a day to celebrate our efforts and abilities by ceasing our labors. It’s a holiday we shouldn’t just celebrate once a year. In fact, almighty God both modeled and instructed us to do it weekly when He instituted the Sabbath. As we work hard to accomplish our dreams and as we pursue God’s purposes and plans for our lives, may we remember that rest has a part to play in the process. May we remember to rest.
