There is actually nothing wrong with setting aside a day in the week where one can rest from work and to reflect on the things of God; but it has to be personal choice, not as a religious requirement. It is all part of the healthy work/life balance. As a retired person in my 70s, I enjoy my regular "blob-out" days where I rest on the couch and do nothing in particular!
I think the problem with you, me, and everyone else in the fallen world is that we believe our life and identity is
defined by work. It is not. One must remember, especially a believer, that work is a consequence of our earliest ancestor's sin.
A misconception I'm picking up here is that many seem to think the 4th commandment is about "rest"
after having worked 6 days. i.e. to have worked until, enough, so much, that one has earned
the right to cease from work, temporarily. A kind of reward 'to blob-out' as you say. That would be a
false conception.
Scripture states,
"Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy work. But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord" (Exo. 20:9,
Bible Gateway passage: Exodus 20:9 - King James Version) simply indicating the
time-frame for work to be done, and the time-frame to rest
and remember God. As prescribed by God. For man to remember the work the Father had done, has done, is doing, and WILL DO. That's why we 'remember' the Messiah and have 'faith' in him and the future, for a 'hope' and 'salvation' etc. For the simple fact that our work, done by hands of men, is futile.
Secondly, believers are not defined by their productive capacity to work, but rather by their service to God. The Lord made this clear symbolically, metaphorically, and literally, by conveying the
reason for Pharoah to let his people go.
'Let my people go, that they may serve me' (Ex. 9:3,
Bible Gateway passage: Exodus 9:1-7 - King James Version). That is the
raison detre of a believer. Not in the brick-making capacity of meeting
x-quota, the very expectation and criticism from the Egyptian and reprobate pov. No, we are not slaves. None of us are slaves.
The 'work-life balance' thing may be emphasised in America with the harsh capitalist conditions you're under, but I believe the philosphy itself originates from the
(Puritan and) Protestant Work Ethic, by Max Weber, 1905. Because before that the earliest book about 'progress' and 'working' (towards salvation) began with the Pilgrims Progress by John Bunyan 1678. -- But I can assure you, people outside of the West and America DO NOT think the same way.
For example, in many countries men (and women) do not work 2-3 jobs, 7 days per week, until midnight, sleeping a few hours per day, etc. Instead, most are unemployed or underemployed as you might call them. They do seasonal work,
when work needs to be done. - I believe this is a natural and healthy approach,
before we had capitalism.
Hence, Ecclesiastes 3, '
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted' - Reinforcing the 4th commandment.
