Day 287 What is Sabbath?

For in six days the LORD made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day He rested. That is why the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy. Exodus 20:11

In the ratrace of American culture (and probably your daily life too ;), people--including Christians--are tired and burnt out. There is so much about life that is exhausting. I know this. It’s real.

Often we don't even slow down enough to be faithful to God’s call for Sabbath, which simply means to rest. I got some great advice early on from someone who urged me to faithfully guard and protect that day of rest. They were right: Without intentional action, it’s simply too easy to slip into justifying non-Sabbath actions like, “I’m just going to pop into the office,” or “I’m so far behind, I just need to catch up.”

But a lot of Christians don't really know what the Sabbath is or how it's observed, and there are a lot of different views and practices of the Sabbath among Christians groups.

Sabbath isn't a one-size-fits-all experience, but for what it’s worth, here are some ideas. On the Sabbath day, I want to experience as many of the following as possible:

Relaxation. I take it easy. I sleep in. I don’t fill the day with a lot of activities. I try to maintain an attitude of rest throughout the day.

Recreation. I usually feel better and accelerate my rest after some form of exercise. Maybe at the gym, but it’s usually a hike with a friend.

Relationships. Any time I choose to spend time with someone on my Sabbath, it is a relationship that inspires me, breathes into me, and is rewarding for me. No work, just friendship.

Reading. For me, so much of my reading during the week focuses on work. So, for my Sabbath, I choose light and fun reading.

Reflection/Restoration. Reflection describes my extended time with God. I’ll usually reflect on the past week, look through my calendar, and think about what I might have missed that God had laid out for me.

There is no usual order to these areas. I just try to experience them all throughout the day. When was th e last time you experienced a real Sabbath?What would your ideal Sabbath look like? What keeps you from living out your ideal?       
               
My prayer is that the Sabbath becomes a weekly day of refreshment for you and an anticipated highlight of your week!