The Practice of Sabbath

I grew up in the church and was there practically every moment it was open. I enjoyed singing, praying, even playing in the church literally since birth. I was taught about Jesus, His love for me, stories from the Bible, and of course The Ten Commandments. Most people know the Ten Commandments, or have heard of them, even if you have never stepped a foot into a church or opened a Bible. They can be found listed in Exodus chapter 20, and also listed here in more common words:

1. You shall have no other gods before me
2. You shall not make for yourself any idols
3. You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God.
4. You shall remember and keep the Sabbath day holy.
5. Respect your father and mother
6. You must not commit murder.
7. You must not commit adultery.
8. You must not steal.
9. You must not give false evidence against your neighbor.
10. You must not envy your neighbors’ things.

I have heard many good sermons growing up on how to obey God and keep the Ten Commandments. But one that was always kind of passed over was the fourth one, to keep the Sabbath day holy. I went to church on Sunday, that must be keeping the Sabbath. Right? But the thing was, in all of the sermons I have heard over my life, not one was about keeping Sabbath or even went into what Sabbath meant then to those in Exodus and now to us in the 21^st century. Which is kind of sad when you think about it.

Since then, I have found some helpful resources on Sabbath and wanted to share those with you just in case you were interested in the practice of Sabbath for yourself! Especially, as we have all worked to slow down our lives (or forced to do so) and rediscover what we should allow back into our lives when the world does eventually go back to “normal”. I also wanted to pass along with some things I do on my Sabbath. This list of “things” is not meant to be your list or a list of do and do not’s. It is merely something that works for me, and even I don’t feel like I do it well all the time. I truly believe Sabbath is meant for rest and remembering God, and we all do both of those things very differently. So, please don’t see this has what you have to do. Rather, I hope this helps to spur on ideas in you that work for you and for your family and phase of life.

Side note: Sabbath is something I am still trying to figure out in my own life. What it looks like and what I want it to be. In this transitional period, it has been incredibly difficult for me to have a consistent Sabbath or time of rest at all. But I keep trying because I know I need it and I know God will be honored through it.

Resources:

1. Bridgetown Church Podcast- they did a great series in October 2019 about Sabbath. It was incredibly helpful in understanding what Sabbath is and what it is not, along with some ideas that helped me come up with my own thoughts on what I would like to do with my Sabbath.
2. Annie F. Downs- She talks about Sabbath quite a bit on her Instagram account and has saved an entire string of her comments as one of her highlights. She answers some questions, gives additional resources, and offers her own practices she does. Very thoughtful and insightful.
3. John Mark Comer- The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry and the Garden City. Two books about finding balance and rest as we become increasingly busy humans. And how that may not be a good thing.

I could go into the science of what rest is important, but I’ll spare you because those are mentioned in the resources I have just listed. But what I do what to be transparent about is how I try to practice Sabbath now. This week.

Here are some of my personal guidelines (not rules!):

1. No alarm clock is allowed. I wake up when I wake up. If there is an alarm, it is not Sabbath to me. It is work. Ok, I said guidelines and not rules, but this one is a rule for me anyway. It is that important.
2. I spend as long as I want writing in my journal, reading the Bible, and praying. Usually, during the week, I only have a short time to do this in the morning before I have to start my day, so on Sabbath, I am unrushed and sit as long as I need to. Sometimes this turns into drawing in a journal bible or painting or finding another creative outlet to express my thanks.
3. I eat good food. This sometimes means I meal prep because I enjoy it and it isn’t stressful for me. And I eat the one that sounds most tasty to me that day. Maybe even with a good glass of wine!
4. I do my absolute best not to spend money but enjoy what God has given me already. I got this from the podcast series and it really stuck with me. I want to be thankful and grateful for what the Lord has given me and no better day to do that than Sabbath.
5. I try to stay away from movies or TV that doesn’t feed my soul or thoughts in a positive direction. There are just some shows I love but aren’t always great for me to watch. We all have them, those guilty pleasures. But on Sabbath, I want to fill my mind with peace, joy, and not stress. Usually, I find something I have been wanting to read or study that grows my mind and spirit, not inflict drama into my life.
6. I hang out with people I love. This isn’t always on the list, but if I am feeling rested and they are down to chill, I enjoy sending a meal or brunch with people I love having meaningful conversations.
7. I take a nap. Sabbath means REST, so I will REST.
8. Light fancy candles, clean and light smells help set a tone of peace and tranquility.
9. I almost always take a long bath with snazzy bath salts I love and save for Sabbath. Sometimes I throw in a face mask, or paint my nails because that is actually relaxing for me!
10. I work out if I want to. Again, sometimes this doesn’t always happen but every once in awhile I will throw in some yoga or a hard workout because it makes me more thankful for the body the Lord has provided for me. It is an act of worship and honor, which is the point of Sabbath in the first place. An act of worship.
11. No laundry or doing dishes, no prepping for the week ahead (other than food). I try to do all of that on another day leaving Sabbath for things I love and make me reflect on the goodness of God. Dishes do NOT remind me of the goodness of God. Sorry, ya’ll! I mean unless I do end up cooking that day, as a courtesy to my roommate, I do actually do the dishes. But when I live by myself in the next few months, I can gladly say there will be no dishes on Sabbath. I may even paint that into a sign and put it up in my kitchen!!
12. Go for a walk or just go outside in general (if it isn’t freezing!). I like enjoying the sunshine, listening to worship music, and praying. It usually leaves me less stressed and ready to face whatever the week has in store for me.

This isn’t an exhaustive list, but it is a general start to what I like to do on Sabbath to remember God. Remember His goodness toward me, and to prepare my heart, mind, and spirit for the week ahead. This is a completely new thing to me, so I would love to hear how you practice Sabbath if you do. If you don’t, would you like to? What questions do you have? Hopefully, we can figure it out together! One step at a time, growing closer to God in the process. What does Sabbath look like for you and your family? Share your thoughts and best suggestions in the comments below!