Grace-Full Rhythms: Sabbath

Growing up our family prioritized church and family on Sundays. I remember the house being so quiet and still after Sunday lunch, because everyone was napping. It was the perfect time for me to sneak away into my room and devour whatever book I was reading at the time. I would look forward to those Sunday afternoon “binge reading” sessions all week long.

There was also a season in the Enockson household where we all were asked to spend at least two hours in the living room on Sunday nights. We could read a book, play a game, or talk. The point wasn’t what we did, but that we spent time together.

I didn’t know it then, but my family was incorporating the rhythm of a weekly Sabbath at a young age.

 Remember the Sabbath day by keeping 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, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

Exodus 20:8-11

Sabbath keeping has been one of the most life-giving rhythms and an anchor in my rule of life. My name translates “industrious” and true to my name, I find it can be hard hard to quit the cycle of “do the next thing” and practice Sabbath. Yet when I regularly practise Sabbath, I’m reminded that the world does not revolve around me (no surprise there!) and that God wants to BE with me more than just have me do things for Him.

Sabbath is more than just going to church twice in one day, long naps, or enjoying a big family meal. Yes, your Sabbath can include all of those things, but it’s more than just a day off. Sabbath is a day that orientates our hearts and minds towards worship. The rhythms of our hearts and weeks should be orientated towards the Sabbath, either preparing for, anticipating, or delighting in our Creator.

Your Sabbath as a single mom, retired Grandma, mamma with grown kids, or single lady will look incredibly different than mine. But, there are a few ways that we all can remember to center our hearts around rest & worship when I practice Sabbath.

Stop

Sabbath means “cease from work”. From creation, God developed the rhythm of work and rest. For six days He created, breathed life, and sculpted creation and then on the 7th day he rested. It was a day like none before, a day to enjoy and savor the work of creation.  A Sabbath heart begins by stopping our regular routines and declaring one day or 24 hour period to be set-apart and look different from the rest of the week.

Grace Note: Pull out your calendar and look at the week ahead. Is there a day or 1/2 day that you could mark as a Sabbath Celebration?  Mark it down on the calendar, invite your family or friends to join you, and guard that day and your commitments fiercely. 

 

Rest

In the Jewish tradition, people observed the sabbath from sundown Friday evening to Sunset Saturday.  The Sabbath literally begins & ends with sleep.  What a beautiful picture of complete surrender.  When we are sleeping we are not in control.  Rest reminds us that we can trust in God and that He is the one who guides our path.

One thing I learned in studying was that in Jewish tradition the weeks were orientated around the Sabbath.  The first three days after the Sabbath were meant to reflect on those special days and then the following three days were preparation and anticipation to the Sabbath.  I loved this picture of orientation my week and time around the Sabbath. In order to rest well on that day, we need to prepare the other days.  If you choose to not go shopping on your Sabbath, you’ll need to find another day to get groceries and run errands.  One habit I’ve adopted is to use Saturday’s as my household chore and “work day”.

Grace Note: What are 2-3 things you could do today in order to prepare for you upcoming Sabbath?  Maybe it means running some errands over the lunch hour or picking up paper plates so you don’t have to do dishes.  Do those things now and prayerfully prepare for your Sabbath Celebration? 

Worship

Sabbath is a day set apart not for us, but for God. Sabbath without worship is a vacation 😉  True rest and contentment can only come from His presence.  Worship might mean visiting a favorite coffee shop for an extended time of quiet reflection and journaling, meeting with a community of believers, or even putting on worship music and belting it out with your kiddos.  Worship isn’t a prescription, it’s a way we connect with our Savoir and give him the glory and praise.

Grace Note: Think about the last time you felt intimately connected with God.  What was going on? Where were you?  Was there music? Where you alone or with other people.  Are there a few elements of that experience that you could incorporate into your Sabbath this week?  Write them down and put them into practice for your Sabbath rhythm. 

Play

Ceasing from work doesn’t mean Netflix and all day.  For me, puttering in my flower garden or taking a long hike can be incredibly life giving.  A few years ago I had someone recommend that on the Sabbath you cease doing the “work” you spend the majority of the time doing. If you are a landscape designer and spend your time digging in the dirt 5 days a week, Sabbath might mean curling up with a good book or watching a movie with loved ones. What is life-giving for one person may be training for the next.

Grace Note: Take a few minutes right now and write down 5 things that inspire and uplift you.  Consider incorporating just one of these playful activities into your Sabbath.

One final note.

“Sabbath was made for the man, not man for the Sabbath.” Mark 2:27

Sabbath is a beautiful command, but it can easily become a day of rules and regulations that ultimately distract us.  Questions of “Should I drive a car on the Sabbath?”  or “Can I make bread on the Sabbath?” have been topics of debate over the years.   Yet, when we focus only on what we should or shouldn’t do, we miss the heart of the Sabbath.  Sabbath is going to look different for people in different seasons.  I know that my Sabbath, as a single woman, looks vastly different from my friends with kiddos.  But when we begin with the intention honoring God’s command and choosing one day to set apart for Him, the activities don’t matter as much as our hearts.

Friend, I close this little post with the encouragement to give yourself grace.  Sabbath doesn’t have to look a certain way to honor the Lord.  If you listen closely & obey to Him, you’ll encounter the true rest and peace that He can bring. And discovering the heart of God is what Sabbath is all about.