A day set apart for rest. It is a day by God’s own words that is holy, to be kept holy.
A good Sabbath Sunday with often includes family, grilling, naps, maybe a ballgame on TV, and playing board games. or cards. Often later before everyone heads home, leftovers.
OBSERVING the sabbath
Church is how our Sundays usually start with worhip. Setting aside all other things to devote to each other and remember God who is holy is what made the day holy for us. We try to seperate our Sunday routine from the other days.
Honestly, we have adjusted our practices over the years depending in where we lived and how old our kids were.
“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
rest
Yesterday, we rested. We lingered over a meal, sitting with family. We rested.
In the world of hurry and decluttering and social media, pressure to complete undone tasks, this commandment has never been more relevant.
It was a rest we all needed. When everyone is at our house, sometimes an adult or 2 wander upstairs for a nap in a quiet place. Close the door up there to the bedroom and you have sanctuary!
Sometimes, someone will meander to the hammock that hangs between 2 two trees in the backyard.
Rest like this usually won’t happen without intentionality lIke planning ahead. Putting the phone down. Plan to nap. Establishing the routine, the habit.
It’s an age old question or maybe just one for modern times, what are the Sabbath rules? Must that day be on Sunday?
I’ll leave that to you. I suspect the answer depends on work schedules and your practice based on personal beliefs.
rest from all the work
Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done. Genesis 2:3
Jesus also tells us the Sabbath was made for man.
“Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” Mark 2:27.
Does God who created us not know what we need?
That is a rousing yes, He does! We need Sabbath rest routinely. Why do you think many pastors take Monday’s off after a full day of work in Sunday?
It is a time of not only resting our bodies and minds; it is a time for spiritual reflection.
Maybe, just maybe if you are feeling a little tired or lot weary, why not give yourself the gift of Sabbath rest?
It you are weary and heavy burden, perhaps a day of rest would be a start in putting that down.
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