Our Weekly Rhythm of Sabbath
Chances are you've heard me talk about Sabbath at some point. Quite possibly, you grew up, as I did, aware that it is one of the Ten Commandments, but the "honoring the Sabbath" meant going to a church service, but nothing more. Imagine my surprise when as an adult, I unknowingly stumbled upon the true meaning of this word—its origins, purpose, and practice. As you read on, I hope you are inspired, like I was, to jump into what Sabbath is all about, and I pray that doing so leads to life transformation as it did for our family.
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Sabbath, which when translated means "to cease," is the pause in our week—the intentional stop of things we equate with work and the free fall into restoring our minds, bodies, and spirits.
It's not a new idea but an ancient practice that younger generations are rediscovering. It predates Christianity, the Bible, and even the Ten Commandments. To discover the origin story, you have to go back to the Garden--back to the seventh day when God first modeled for us what it means "to cease." (See Genesis 2:2)
Not that He needed to rest. The God of the universe wasn't exhausted and in need of a break. He didn't require refueling after six days of creating. But, He knew that we would need an example to follow. So God, the ultimate power source, generously showed humanity the importance of rest. It is the first thing Adam encounters: a day set aside to celebrate creation and commune with God. The beginning of his life is the picture of peace and pause instead of production and performance.
History shows us how hard it is to maintain this practice of ceasing. When Moses received the fourth commandment, it read, "remember the Sabbath day." It wasn't a new idea but rather a forgotten one. And today, this ancient practice is being dusted off and infused with fresh passion for the sacred and holy thing God created and blessed.
Yes, God blessed the day of rest (see Genesis 2:3). He boldly declared it "holy," which sounds different than all the other things He created and called "good." We don't tend to think of time as holy, but it makes the language of Exodus 20 even more significant: "remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy." These words are an echo of Genesis chapter two.
What our family has learned over time is that Sabbath doesn't happen without a fight. Our world today spins in ways that are wholly unrecognizable to our ancestors. We have been discipled in the ways of hustle. We've accepted the lie that success and fulfillment are found in the incessant pursuit of what makes us powerful, prominent, and prosperous. It is bold and radical to say "no" to the world's system, but that's what it means to live counter-culture (similar to tithing, but that's a topic for another day).
Admittedly, we are not experts. When our family first began making Sabbath a priority, we sheepishly realized that we weren't very good at stopping. Even years later, and with the conviction of how life-transforming it is, Sabbath still doesn't come easily, and we must work for it every week. I hope as you dive into this topic, these words will infuse you with hope that it is worth your effort, as well as the courage to do the difficult thing. Knowing we aren't alone when we choose the less-traveled path somehow makes the decision easier. Jesus gently tells us in the Gospel of John, chapter ten, that He came to give us "life to the full," and I believe that we catch a glimpse of that when we live in the rhythm that He designed for us: remembering Sabbath.