In my early twenties, I cooked at several restaurants on St. Simons Island, GA. I would sometimes work double shifts in order to make ends meet. On one occasion, I worked three weeks of double shifts without a day off. Resilient though I thought myself to be at that age, I almost put myself in the hospital.
Most will admit, there is something built into the fabric of our being to remind us of our need for rest. We are image-bearers of God, called to emulate the pattern He established for us at creation: to live within a rhythm of work and rest. He set aside the Sabbath day for our bodies to be refreshed and renewed. The rest our bodies require reminds us that we need spiritual rest as well. And so the Sabbath is a time to remember our limits.
The Sabbath teaches us that we need God and the rest He freely provides in Jesus. It almost seems as though Jesus reserved many of His healing miracles for the Sabbath. And by healing physical maladies on the holy day of rest, He was showing that He had the power to heal the deeper malady of a sinful soul.
Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath (Mark 2:28). He is the one who rested in the grave on the old covenant Sabbath—after He labored for our redemption, providing ultimate rest through His atoning death and resurrection. He ushered in a new creation, saying, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest… for your souls” (Matthew 11:28–29). And to those who attempted to pervert the meaning of the Sabbath day with legalistic rules and regulations, Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27).
Coming expectantly into the first day of the week, I often wake my sons up and ask them, “What day is it today?” One of them inevitably shouts from under his covers, “The best day of the week!” Our family worships at church and sets the whole day aside to rest. Together, we read Scripture, devotionals, or other spiritually edifying books, and allow time and space in our home for Christian fellowship. We may even take a much-needed nap.
These are a few of the ways our family has learned to keep the Sabbath, setting aside a day to focus on worship, the Word, prayers, and fellowship. Whatever practices you can build into the rhythms of work and rest in your life, for the physical and spiritual refreshment of your body and soul, make them staples of your devotion to God on a weekly basis. He knows the benefit and blessing of rest, and that is why He asks us to keep the Sabbath.
Written by Nick Batzig
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105 thoughts on "Sabbath"
How does sabbath and 1st day of the week be one? Biblically sabbath is the 7th day of the week and was specifically set aside by God
Really excited to focus on truly resting and honoring the sabbath that God set for us
Rest is so needed. God knows what he is doing with all of his creations, even the sabbath day. I need to focus more on God during the sabbath. Instead of just being busy with the family I need to dedicate that time to him and involve my family.
From what I’ve learned from others, especially pastor friends, Sabbath need not be Sundays only. We live in a modern age where not everyone works Monday-Friday. A pastor friend and her family keep Sabbath from Friday evening to Saturday noon the next day. As a family who works most of Sunday, this makes sense for them.
Does the sabbath have to be observed on Sunday only?
Something everyone needs to be reminded of every so often… sabbath was made for man not man for sabbath. We must rest because it is a need
Thank you
Hard to sort through striving to enter His rest in Hebrews 4
Yes, such a great reminder of the importance of the Sabbath!
Love that He created it for us! I love my Sabbath on Sundays + am learning to lean in more all week long to His rest when I need it. Such a good reminder of why we should observe the Sabbath
Such great reminders. We had gotten out of the habit of resting on Sunday’s. The past month I’ve logged out of my social media on Sunday’s and we spend the day intentionally resting, church, and spending time with family.
Great reminders!
Those are great guiding questions, Rebecca!
My husband is the discipleship pastor at a new church plant so Sundays are busy in the morning but we definitely rest once we get home.
Love that you bring your children into the meaning of sabbath!
This is great Rebecca! also I believe a good question to ask is “Does it please your spirit?” “Does it help you commune and connect with God’s presence: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit?” :)
So good!
It’s interesting that all the verses point to the seventh day being given as the day of rest even mentioning that it had not been changed and yet here we are resting on the first day of week. I think a deeper look is ahead for me.
Soo good
When thinking about keeping the sabbath I instantly get anxiety thinking of the rules of it or what I am or am not suppose to do, what counts as work? And then this lesson highlighted the freedom of rest and how Jesus himself said “enough with these legalistic rules” for rest. Rest looks different for us all. What is rest for some may not be relaxing or renewing at all for another! Jesus again points to freedom for me.
I never really looked at the Sabbath as a day to dive deeper into Christ. That is where true rest is found, only in Jesus. It’s not about being lazy, leaning into the spiritual rest of Jesus.
Thank you Amy!
I love this!
Trying to make Sunday a Sabbath day is new for us. Typically we would go to church and then it would be a regular day of chores, projects and errands. Recently I’ve been trying to switch it up to “Sundays are not for shoulds” which seems to be resonating with my husband and teens. So for example, if anyone of is saying “I should do xyz right now” I ask, but does that bring you joy? Does it help you rest? If it’s a project that is fun, inspiring, restoring then go for it. If it drags your soul down then save it for another day.
Sabbath rest is a beautiful concept designed by the Lord. If you look at His provision in designing it, He intentionally led by example to show us it is possible and good.
We need to slow down and dwell on the goodness of the Lord.
My hubs is a pastor so sundays are a whirlwind but I have lunches prepared so that’s easy and dinner is always set up for Sunday leftovers so I’m not cooking.
We usually do Awana with our littles that night which throws off all the rest but I don’t clean a lot and just enjoy them after.
Monday is my “reset” day.
It is possible to make it work and can I say as women we desperately need it. Thankful the Lord has given us the sabbath and sabbath rest.
Elisabeth – I recommend Seamless by Angie Smith. I did this one a few years ago with my husband. It takes you through the entire Bible at a high level. It was easy to understand and retain. Hope it helps!
Elisabeth Swan, I highly recommend trying The Marriage Journal by Jeremy & Audrey Roloff!
I highly recommend trying The Marriage Journal by Jeremy & Audrey Roloff!
I am working to rebuild my relationship with God and my husband is still searching. I’d like to start a weekly devotional with him so we could talk through some of our thoughts/ideas together. Can anyone recommend a weekly devotional for couples that caters to folks who are relatively new to the faith?
Amen. So good and so much truth.
I love reading comments for intentionally practicing a sabbath. I’ve often thought of it as just resting, so learning that it’s actually resting AND focusing on the Lord was good. I am now trying to wrap my head around what this looks like for a family with kids. Sports games or practices are often on Sundays. It might be simplest to look at a down day of the week and pick that. I am excited to start implementing this in our home.
This was great
I love reading what everyone does!
We silence phones and stay of social media after church. Play worship music in the house. We have a special Sabbath dinner even if just pizza on paper plates-I put out a tablecloth and we light specific candles & we talk about what we are thankful to God for or what church was about. We play a family game and find simple ways to slow down the evening before bed. It can be simple Sabbath rhythms to quiet your heart and rest your soul in His presence. As a mommy to littles that might not be a nap or lounging around reading, but of a mom with older kids, I have seen how you can start patterns now that can grow through the years. My kids now call it Sabbath day instead of Sunday and know what to expect. They look forward to church, quiet afternoon of resting, and our special family night. Find what works for you. Start small. And ask for Gods help! ❤️❤️❤️
Lord you are good!
Hebrews4:1-11 So every week, when I observe the day of rest , it’s a living parable of laying down my own burdens so Jesus can shoulder them. A step-out in faith & trust.
❤️
What a good way to put it
Amen!
Getting off that Hamster Wheel of Life can be difficult.
Our reading in Genesis tells us God rested. The scripture says that He blessed and sanctified His work BECAUSE He rested.
Life has become relentless. There is constantly (at least in my world) laundry, dishes and house work to attend to. A daily job to work. Family events. Church events. Grocery shopping. Cooking. Kids school schedules. And that’s just the beginning.
We go to bed exhausted and we wake up exhausted- before the day even begins.
Society screams we are lazy if we rest- but that is not what the scripture says.
We must guard our values and our time. Live proactively rather than reactively- plan ahead. Figure out your priority. (Singular) Build around that.
Our number 1- is Jesus. Therefore, I attempt to live proactively, intentionally and guard actively. Our peace & strength comes from Him (Matt. 11:28).
We are a list driven people. Oftentimes- we are our own worst enemy. Why? Because we set unattainable expectations for ourselves and this is the root of the Hamster Wheel problem.
We are of no good to ourselves or anyone else when we are exhausted. His voice becomes so much more clear when we …. rest.
I am intentionally making time to rest. Silencing the “noise”- shutting out the distractions.
I find my rest in Jesus! I’m intentionally making sure I am in control and I don’t let my day control me. ♥️
The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.
The Sabbath was made for me, and not me for the Sabbath.
The Sabbath was made for Caitlyn, and not Caitlyn for the Sabbath.
Amen to the reminder of the Holy rest day. We all need rest. In a busy world, we can easily get carried away to fulfilling all the checklists (aka. the worries of Life). And the Bible says the worries of life come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful (Mark 4:19 NIV). We can also be workaholic and make our career or our job a goal (an idol). And idolatry is spiritual adultery to the Lord.
He asks us to spare one day out of seven days of the week to rest and plug in to Him to be recharged, as He is the source. I am guilty of forgetting this Holy Rest Day every now and then, and forget the fact that my Father needs a date with me on the weekend, with my full attention and a restful mind. How sweet is God that He desires our fellowship. When we believe, we enter in to the place of Rest, knowing that ALL works were finished from the foundation of the world (Hebrews 4:3 KJV). Thank you Father for your kindness every morning and faithfulness every night. Thank you that you are the Rock and you are the Life. Thank you for sanctifying the Sabbath Day to grant my soul with rest in you.
Thank you, that does help!
I love Sunday’s! It is sometimes the only day of the week when my husband doesn’t work. We go to church as a family and while my daughter naps, we discuss the church service. We also have been trying to have date nights on sundays to give us some time for just the two of us.
What a great reminder for rest.
My husband and i run the worship team at church so sundays is our war day – lots of coordination with our small kids. However, its not work to worship God. I usually stop all my usual cleaning as a stay at home mum. I let the floors get dirty, clothes pile up, windows are gross, dishes pile up. Monday is what i call my reset day where i catch up on the weekends chores. But its so so great to rest and spend quality time with my husband too.
Delight in the Lord on the Sabbath! I love worshipping the Lord and just resting from all my work on that day. Naps are cool too!
Wow what a great way to put it!
I have two very small children and not a lot of help for childcare options because of Covid. Anyone have any suggestions about how to sabbath in the stage of life?
I find it helpful to add in things like journaling or putting on worship music as the kids play and focus on gratitude. Nice smelling candles, a face mask. Anything to slow your mind down and refocus your attention. I was once alone in the nursery breastfeeding while our lifegroup was laughing together in our lounge. I felt so alone, but Jesus showed me that he saw me as though i were on my knees in worship to him when i looked after my baby. Your hard work with little kids is physically taxing, but sabbath can be about taking a breathe and relaxing your mind and pressures and actively giving them to Jesus. Hope that helps. Much love xo
Sabbath is a type of Fasting from Normal Daily rhythm to focus and delight in the LORD.
My husband and I have been practicing a weekly Sabbath for a year now and I see why God intends for us to have a Sabbath! It has brought such renewal and rest and life to our lives. Reminds me that God is in control and that God is good at being God!!
I need to practice Sabbath more. Really lean into rest and worship.
Erin B. a way to get close to the Lord a care for your toddlers at the same time on the Sabbath I found is to read Bible stories to them and then have them tell you the story back or draw a picture about it. My boys used to love this when they were young and it would allow me to get closer to the Lord at the same time.
I believe sabbath rest is also for our planet. When we take a day to stop and rest, stay home, use our cars less, we benefit and our environment does too ❤️
Being a nurse for over 40 years there have been many times I HAD to work on the sabbath. When I first started as a nurse, at the age of 20, I was living at home and my father couldn’t understand that I had to work on Sundays. I finally explained it to him this way, “People don’t stop needing care or being sick on Sunday, do they? Someone needs to take care of them on Sunday as well as during the week. Didn’t Jesus mention about caring for the sick? When He said that did He say to stop caring for them on Sunday?” After explaining it to my father this way he understood and was fine with it. I would go to church on my Sundays off and that would make him happy. Now that I don’t work Sundays it seems strange not to go to church. Yes I do virtual church but it isn’t the same. Before COVID my sister and I would go together to the church that she and my father used go to. What is it about the actual fellowship, I missed it when I was young and I miss it now. There were two different reasons for not having the actual fellowship but I still missed or miss it. Sundays just don’t seem the same.
Bless all you my sisters.
Whom the sabbath was made for (v. 27); it was made for man, and not man for the sabbath. This we had not in Matthew. The sabbath is a sacred and divine institution; but we must receive and embrace it as a privilege and a benefit, not as a task and a drudgery. First, God never designed it to be an imposition upon us, and therefore we must not make it so to ourselves. Man was not made for the sabbath, for he was made a day before the sabbath was instituted. Man was made for God, and for his honour and service, and he just rather die than deny him; but he was not made for the sabbath, so as to be tied up by the law of it, from that which is necessary to the support of his life. Secondly, God did design it to be an advantage to us, and so we must make it, and improve it. He made if for man. 1. He had some regard to our bodies in the institution, that they might rest, and not be tired out with the constant business of this world (Deu. 5:14); that thy man-servant and thy maid-servant may rest. Now he that intended the sabbath-rest for the repose of our bodies, certainly never intended it should restrain us, in a case of necessity, from fetching in the necessary supports of the body; it must be construed so as not to contradict itself—for edification, and not for destruction.
2. He had much more regard to our souls. The sabbath was made a day of rest, only in order to its being a day of holy work, a day of communion with God, a day of praise and thanksgiving; and the rest from worldly business is therefore necessary, that we may closely apply ourselves to this work, and spend the whole time in it, in public and in private; but then time is allowed us for that which is necessary to the fitting of our bodies for the service of our souls in God’s service, and the enabling of them to keep pace with them in that work. See here, (1.) What a good Master we serve, all whose institutions are for our own benefit, and if we be so wise as to observe them, we are wise for ourselves; it is not he, but we, that are gainers by our service. (2.) What we should aim at in our sabbath work, even the good of our own souls. If the sabbath was made for man, we should then ask ourselves at night, “What am I the better for this sabbath day?” (3.) What care we ought to take not to make those exercises of religion burthens to ourselves or others, which God ordained to be blessings; neither adding to the command by unreasonable strictness, nor indulging those corruptions which are adverse to the command, for thereby we make those devout exercises a penance to ourselves, which otherwise would be a pleasure.
[2.] Whom the sabbath was made by (v. 28); “The Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath; and therefore he will not see the kind intentions of the institution of it frustrated by your impositions.” Note, The sabbath days are days of the Son of man; he is the Lord of the day, and to his honour it must be observed; by him God made the worlds, and so it was by him that the sabbath was first instituted; by him God gave the law at mount Sinai, and so the fourth commandment was his law; and that little alteration that was shortly to be made, by the shifting of it one day forward to the first day of the week, was to be in remembrance of his resurrection, and therefore the Christian sabbath was to be called the Lord’s day (Rev. 1:10), the Lord Christ’s day; and the Son of man, Christ, as Mediator, is always to be looked upon as Lord of the sabbath. This argument he largely insists upon in his own justification, when he was charged with having broken the sabbath, Jn. 5:16.
Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible by Matthew Henry [1706]
Bible Hub
This helps me understand better. Hope it helps anyone that might be struggling with the Sabbath.
Thanks Mackenzie for this recommendation, I think I need this book!
Isaiah 58:13 made me stop and read it again. “If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the Lord honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly; Wow, I go to church most Sundays, but it’s so much more! It’s not just about doing what I want and resting. It’s not about seeking my own pleasure or talking idly. I need to change my focus on how I honor this day, while not being legalistic in how I do it. Not sure yet how this will look, but I feel excited to lean in and make it more about Jesus.
I challenged my family to start actually resting once a week with the intention of praising the Lord our maker and owner. They serve on the worship team on Sundays so, it wasn’t quite working for us since they had to wake up at 6 am, sing on both services and we had to cook and clean up. We talked about it and starting this Saturday we’re going to invest more of our time on worshiping the Lord by honoring one another with quality time and by meditating on the word. Retreating from the business of our days to praise Him. Just so excited for it!
I would highly recommend John Mark Comer’s book “The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry” as it goes in depth about the discipline of sabbath and why we need to practice it as followers of Christ. There is so much freedom and peace found in His saving rest and yoke
We are still in a almost everything lockdown so life has really slowed down. I can feel it changing me. The days are long I linger over my studies and what a blessing. I have always tried to make Sunday special and fun. Do the things that bring you joy and rest and refresh you and focus on the Lord and worship. That is different for everyone some it is a walk outside others it being with other people in fellowship others it’s taking a nap and recharging. Don’t make it full of rules and don’t impose your view on someone else. It’s hard in a marriage or family but try to adapt and be flexible with each kid. I always loved Sunday my sister hated it and was so bored!
This was a bit convicting for me, as I know I don’t keep a sabbath well nor do I feel like I fully understand how to do so in today’s world. I’m pretty good about not working my traditional job on the weekend. To be honest, our church is very small and, when we were doing church services in-person, I served so much that church did not feel like rest for me at all. This season of church from home has been so restful for me in that way. However, I’ve also become so lax in my participation. Watching more than engaging. I want to work on that as part of my sabbath growth. I also want to be mindful of the weekend chores I typically do – relegating them to one day so that my whole weekend doesn’t feel like a to-do list. I’d also like to commit more time to God, perhaps digging more into the grace days and weekly truths in the SRT studies, as I often don’t give them much attention. And, ultimately, I’m trying to ask myself this: What is distracting me from Christ and the fruits of the Spirit? How can I almost fast the things of this world that distract me from God? One other thing I thought about was how much I resist taking days off when I need it. Whether because I’m sick or just need a mental health day or because work has been insane and I need to pause. I want to manage my time off better, and see that as resting as well.
Man was created on the sixth day and then, God had finished all of creation and on the seventh day He rested. Rest for man prepares for what is ahead. It’s not a catch-up day. It’s a rest in God day. Teaching children when they are young will help them to have good rhythms. Training my thoughts, scheduling, family calendar to set the Lords day aside for worship and rest will create a needed rhythm. I’m not great at it. I can tell when I have missed. And I can tell when I lift God on high and fall into rest of praise of contentment into Him. It’s so sweet.
Just reading this relaxed me. I had always thought of the Sabbath as basically attending church, but I listened to the podcast this week and am now excited to approach as described there. Of course I really want to dive in and go for it but I am going to be realistic and take it slow and aim for 2-3 hours for my Sabbath and go from there. So excited to have finally tried the podcast, it’s really good.
Not silly at all!!
Such a great reminder of the positive things coming done COVID- now you can participate in three services!!
Does anyone else struggle with how our nation has made Sunday just another day? Everything is open—- which means so many people have to work. When I was the director at our pregnancy center I took Friday as my sabbath— now that we are fully retired, every day is a sabbath!! But we honor Sunday. Attend worship, DON’T eat out rest at home. Visit friends. Nap—-
It’s hard for me to rest. And there’s never a dull moment and I am never bored. Not until Covid hit our home (mildly) forcing me to “rest”. I thought of exactly this! This, what we are reading today. Thankfully I didn’t get this too bad and the worst was that I was very (and still am) tired forcing me to rest and even take a nap. Slowed-me-down. No rushing out the door, no grocery shopping, not even my running routine. But you know… That’s OK. All of us here needed that “rest“ in order to recover. Please continue to pray for my mom as she’s very nauseous and tired. Praying she doesn’t get worse. It’s been almost a week since her symptoms started so I am assuming and hoping it won’t get worse.
This is a good reminder to be more intentional about resting on the Sabbath…it’s rather difficult as a pastor because you technically work on Sunday. But I suppose in this new year I need to sit down and actually carve out time.
We usually reserve Sundays for church and football. I do still do work as I’m mom and I cook dinner (usually chili or something easy) and fold the laundry. Most weekends are pretty laid back – particularly with the pandemic. We really aren’t able to go anywhere we normally would or do the things we might have in the past. I’ve grown accustomed to a quiet weekend at home. It is definitely something I hope continues once life starts to resume normalcy here again.
A great reminder to be more intentional with my sabbath time. As someone who works a typical 9-5 and then also works for our church part time on the weekends I’m finding my “sabbath” is Friday evening until Saturday afternoon when I need to head to church for our first service time and then Sunday after church until Monday morning. Typically those times are also filled with housework and other tasks so being more intentional about stopping and resting is a goal for this year. It won’t be perfect and that’s ok. The intention and practice is the rest. That might mean more resting in the evening during the week and taking time for self care and worship.
Me too. It’s so hard- I want to constantly tick off the to do list and keep going.
This is so silly but I’m reading this exhausted and I feel like God was talking directly to me and saying, you’re not a failure for needing to rest. I infact encourage it. ❤️❤️❤️
I struggle with this. I find it hard to rest when I feel there are things that need to get done. I do feel the need to rest I just struggle with allowing myself to. I’m going to work on allowing myself to rest more.
❤️
This is hard for me, working Monday-Friday leaving the weekends for errands and house chores, playing catch-up. But, I do understand the importance of taking a day to rest and reflect and to be centered with Jesus. My goal is to start with half a day to in time get to a full day.
My understanding of the rest Sabbath brings has grown a lot in this season if young Motherhood. As a single (and even young married before children), I worked for myself from home, so each day could easily blur into the next— I’m a type B person, so no overachieving here! In young Motherhood, rest is hard to come by. Not just physical rest, but also mental and spiritual rest that used to be a staple of my life— my hopes this year are for my husband and I to build in ways on Sunday for us each to have an opportunity to pursue mental/spiritual rest in our own way. With almost four little ones, that might mean an hour to ourselves to read or pray (tag team style) apart from the stresses of toddler life. We usually try to plan a family outing, walk or special thing together to mark the day (and just having my husband on hand to help is rest for me). Sometimes though, I’m learning that a Mom’s Sabbath rest includes lego building and peanut butter fingers anyway— and that resting in God in often an inner surrender to him. I am so thankful that we serve a God who gives us water when we are thirsty and rest when we are weary.
Sabbath is something that keeps coming up for me…And my body is definitely screaming at me lately that it needs rest! Physical, mental and spiritual rest! I’m going to discuss this with my husband and see if we can set aside a sabbath day for our family. In the world we are living in, even our kids are feeling the tension and I think we all need to come together and rest in the One who reigns above it all!
By the end of the week, I long for church. To commune with my spiritual family in worship and teaching of the Word. This Sunday will be my first Sunday back to in-person church since Christmas Eve and my soul is deeply craving it
In a silly way, this should be added to the list of things to discuss with a potential husband. It is a habit that must be committed to and enjoyed while still independent of a spouse. It is hard to change habits even if it’s for the right reason. Now that more of our children are preteens it’s time my husband and I started to change our rhythm for the sabbath, especially since church is from home via zoom. Covid has taken a huge toll on our congregation physically and mentally, I can not think of a better time to commit to spending the Lords day with the Lord.
I’m a seventh day Adventist and we still keep the 7th day Sabbath. It’s so special to me to still keep Saturday as the day of rest as God had initially intended. I think it’s great for anyone who worships on Sunday as well, but I encourage you to try Saturdays, Friday sunset to Saturday sunset. ❤️
Lord i thank you
❤️
It has puzzled me as well but I’ve come to think it means the Sabbath (rest) is what God created for man; He didn’t create man for the purpose of ruling over the Sabbath – – – he created man to do a lot of things, but not to be in charge. We see how the laws were used to beat people over the head, when those doing the ‘beating’ were judging everyone but themselves. I don’t think I’m expressing this very well, but does it at least start a stirring in your mind?
KELLY- Those verses stood out to me today as well… :) My understanding of them is that he’s making a point that would help ppl to remove the legalistic views of the sabbath. As many on here have stated, sometimes the rhythm of our lives don’t allow the “rest” day to be Sunday. That’s not completely the point. The point isn’t to honor a day for the sake of that day- it’s to have a day intentionally set aside to rest. The “day” gets nothing from it. God isn’t suddenly made holier if we do it. It’s there for US, for OUR benefit. So as Jesus and his disciples were picking some heads of grain that day, the Pharisees were being legalistic in complaining they were not honoring the day. Jesus basically responded with “hey- this day has been given for us, not the other way around.”… idk, maybe that helps maybe not! :)
Kelly – The Bible Hub app has commentaries and is a good place to dig deeper. The short version of the explanation of the Mark passage is that man was created before the Sabbath was and the sabbath is for man’s benefit, not the other way around. It was made for our well being.
It’s worth looking at Bible Hub for a better explanation
This one has always been hard for me. As a nurse for 30 years, I was required to work every other weekend. Yes, I had other days off, but not the Sabbath. I am now in higher education and while I work the occasional Saturday, Sundays are mine. I love my Sunday afternoon naps when I get to take them.
I also had to read that verse a couple of times and was curious about what it was saying too, sister. I looked it up and I like the description this page gave: https://www.bibleref.com/Mark/2/Mark-2-27.html
I have tried to keep the Sabbath but it’s quite hard. I’ve tried to do a “tech fast” for the sabbath – also quite hard. That probably says a lot about me and what I need to continue to work on.
My husband works in, and I’m retired from, the health care field. Working Sundays and extra shifts made it necessary to find other days as Sabbath days. We had to look at our work schedules and plan ahead for that day. That was a blessing because the planning enhanced our focus. It wasn’t a day off work but a deliberate day in the presence of the Lord. It was a day much anticipated because the pace slowed, quiet reigned and the intimacy with Him refreshed and renewed us for the week ahead. My husband works part time now, though he is on call, and I’m retired so the Sabbath falls for us on Sundays most weeks. With the isolation of Covid and not attending church in person, we’ve taken advantage of opportunities for extended worship services from across the US online. We typically participate in three (I say participate because I don’t like to say we “watch” church. God desires active participants, not observers). Observing the Sabbath over the years has been fluid for us and yet constant. Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath and, as long as He is the focus, the day and the style of observance is less important.
Yep. Sunday’s are the best day of the week. On the way home from church I grab a Starbucks to go , we grab some pizzas , and the family gets together to play clean videos games or watch hockey . When they go to sleep I gab my favorite baked chips & dark chocolate for PBS Masterpiece Theater . This is how my family takes a rest day . ☺️
I love the devotional, but I don’t agree that there is such a thing as an old covenant Sabbath. The 7th day Sabbath was established at creation in Genesis long before there was a Jewish nation and it was made for all people to enjoy and honor God as Creator. It’s the only thing from the Decalogue that started with “Remember” as a call back to its establishment in Genesis. The 10 commandments are eternal and to be cherished since they teach us about loving God and our neighbor; the ceremonial and sacrificial laws had a different purpose because they dealt with the sanctuary services that would ultimately be fulfilled by Christ, the perfect sacrifice. That’s why the one written by God’s own hand was placed in the ark (10 commandments) and the one written down by Moses was placed outside of it (Deuteronomy 31: 24-26). Maybe not the most popular idea, but I think it’s worth studying more to understand better sisters. And I agree that the Sabbath is a gift. Let’s take an active stance in laying down our burdens and entering his rest on that day and every day!
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I’m a teacher and don’t work on Sundays either. I HAVE to draw a line somewhere. The not thinking about work part is hard, though.
When I read self-care, I immediately thought about self-control. It takes self-control to separate myself from work and purposely devote time to rest.
Does anyone have wisdom on the Mark 2 passage? Specifically verses 27-28…”the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” I have read this passage many times over the years and it still doesn’t quite make sense to me. Thank you in advance.
Gods blessings on the reminder of your week and as we learn spiritual disciplines and put them into practice
Yesterday’s devotional on fasting and today’s on the Sabbath seem to go together. In fasting I chose to abstain from something, and spend that time growing closer to holy God. A Sabbath of rest (for me) is choosing to abstain from the activities that are a part of my week, while focusing on resting in and worshiping God during that time. If the only difference in my Sabbath from another day is that I hear a sermon and get a nap, while those are good, I am weak and need more.
What if in attitude, as I work through the week I anticipate the Sabbath as a treat. Almost as you might a vacation; time spent in the fellowship and presence of your best friend and love, simply learning to know each other better. Relaxing and resting in Him. The anticipation would give my week direction. The actual Sabbath would fortify me mentally, physically, and spiritually for serving Him in the days to come.
This has looked different through the various seasons of my life. As a single, young adult, I had control over my choices for Sabbath activities. As a young wife, that was somewhat shared with my husband. As a mom of toddlers, things were often out-of-my-control but, the littles were easier to guide, as long as we were together. It included relaxed play as well as extra Jesus-learning time. As our sons got older it took discipline on our part. We had a bit of involvement in travel league sports. We set the standard that we would only play on Sunday, if we could still attend church. (Some people made fun of us for that, but we stuck to it and chose a team that would allow us to honor our values.) Today, as empty nesters…it should be really easy. What I find as I am older is that I am more tired…throughout the week and on the Sabbath. Tired, it is easy to forget to anticipate the Sabbath in the hustle and bustle of the day. Tired, it is easy to plop down in a chair with a sport team or show on the tv screen and waste hour(s) doing nothing that my heart wants and needs.
These thoughts bring me back to my Savior, who does now, and has always, loved me where I am, patiently growing me into the person He sees in me. The Sabbath is not meant to be a legalistic regulation, one more rule to follow…it is another gift He has given, that He knows we need. Our choice, as always, is how we will use the gifts He provides. He loves us right where we are, and helps us move a little closer. Thanks Lord.
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Sabbath is a gift to us and I am thankful God is always aware of our humanness and created it for us.
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The Sabbath is a gift to us, not some legalistic law we must obey. We have the choice to decide what we do with our Sabbath and how that looks for us as individuals. As Christ relays to us in scripture, rest looks different for everyone. It is not one size fits all. I love to take naps and my husband likes to read or watch a movie. Literal rest and figurative rest are also at play. Sometimes taking that much needed break from social media is my idea of rest, while other times it’s taking a long walk in nature. Be in tune to what your soul and body need as a whole and seek ways to find rest.
As a teacher, it is so hard to draw that work-home boundary. But I try really hard not to do any schoolwork on Sunday. Monday comes soon enough and I cherish a day when I purposefully do not think about work. Everyone talks a lot these days about self-care. Jesus is basically ordering us to exercise some self-care when he gives us the Sabbath. Spending time with God, nature, family…that’s my Sabbath.
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Nick, your anecdote about waking your sons on the Sabbath is instructive and refreshing. Thank you for sharing it.