A Guide to Keeping the Sabbath
Is the Sabbath Relevant Today?
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” (Exodus 20:8-11; ESV)
Is the Sabbath a Command or a Gift? Required or Optional?
The Sabbath was created in Genesis 2 long before the Law of Moses. God rested and declared the seventh day holy. He invited His creation to join Him – both in work and in rest.
After four hundred years of working around the clock as slaves, God once again declared the seventh day holy and invited His people to join Him in rest by re-establishing the Sabbath in the Law of Moses. This would be a testimony to all the world of their God.
Is it possible that the Sabbath is both a command and a gift (i.e. salvation)?
If you’re not keeping the Sabbath, why not? Whether you believe it’s a command or not, God created it for you. Is it right to reject His gift?
“The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:27; ESV)
Do any of the following statements hold true for you?
I am not keeping the Sabbath because…
I feel like I don’t have enough time.
I feel guilty for resting.
I love my work and don’t want to rest.
I get bored.
Statements 1 and 2 are rooted in lies. Statements 3 and 4 are rooted in unhealthy boundaries. None of them are healthy reasons for skipping the Sabbath.
Reasons to Keep the Sabbath
Sabbath Is a Gift from God
We don’t keep the Sabbath to recover from the previous week or to charge up for the upcoming one. If you consistently reach the Sabbath on empty, you need to examine your life and boundaries. Sabbath is a gift, not a tool for survival.
“The Sabbath isn’t an injection to keep us going, and we don’t have to be completely drained to enjoy it. If we’re not completely drained, it doesn’t mean we can skip it. The Sabbath isn’t just a thing of need. It’s a gift.”
To Escape the Tyranny of the Urgent
Life is full of urgent tasks and requests that need to be done. Much of our days are ruled by what we need to do. Sabbath is a day to stop doing what you need to do. Slow down, and for a day, do what you want to do. Be with people. Enjoy God and His creation.
God Rested
God didn’t need to rest, but He did. Why? To set an example for us. Don’t be so busy serving God that you reject His example to rest.
Sabbath Recalibrates Us
Sabbath keeps us from wandering too far off the path. It gives us an opportunity to reset our boundaries and priorities. It provides a moment to remember and reflect on the previous week and to dream about the future.
How to Keep the Sabbath
Keeping the Sabbath is more than just not working. It’s also not just a day to be lazy. In fact, being lazy can be extremely draining. God will not bless a lazy Sabbath.
Stop Doing What Is Necessary
Avoid chores and activities that you dread. This will require you to plan ahead and probably work a little harder during the other six days to protect your Sabbath. Also, avoid your job, even if you love it. If you never take a break, even things you love will burn you out.
Look For Activities of Productive Rest
True Sabbath rest is found in action. We must discover what fills us up and commit to doing those things. Look for intentional, meaningful, and restful activities to fill your day. This may look like hanging out with friends, reading alone in a coffee shop, playing music, learning a new skill/hobby, or visiting a new place. It’s different for everyone. Find what fills you up.
Don’t be lazy and waste away the day with passive, mindless activities (i.e. video games, social media, etc.).
Make It Special
The Sabbath is a holy day, meaning that it is set apart from the other six days, so set it apart. Eat special foods. Do special things. Go to special places. Plan ahead to make it meaningful.
There Is No Feasting Without Fasting
If you’re bored on the Sabbath, it might be because you’ve been feasting all week. There’s no rest without work. Sabbath is as much about the other six days as it is the seventh.
Pick a Day With No Work
Does the Sabbath need to be on Sunday or Saturday? No. It can be any day that you’re off from work, even if that means it has to change every week. The key is to be intentional; plan ahead. However, if you can Sabbath on Sunday, do it because there is great value in worshipping with the body of Christ on your Sabbath.
Above All, Remember This
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28; ESV).
Rest comes from Jesus – not the absence of work. If you are seeking rest from anything other than Jesus, you will not find it.
Even if your Sabbath doesn’t go as planned, His rest is available for you. Even if some weeks you can’t take the Sabbath, His rest is available for you. Even if you’re a parent with no days off, His rest is available for you.
Sabbath is more than just a day of the week. It’s a life of abiding in Jesus. He invites us to be with Him. As we enjoy the Sabbath, may we also take a mini Sabbath every day as we spend time in His Word and in prayer, not worrying about what needs to be done, but to just sit and linger with Jesus.
