Resting in Jesus - Practice the Sabbath

The Sabbath (Resting in Jesus) in Modern-Day Practice

I know what you’re thinking.

In theory, it makes sense, but putting it into practice is a whole other thing. The Sabbath is a gift, a blessing, a lasting covenant between God and His people and we are invited to be part of it, even today. The Sabbath is an opportunity for us to rest in God, a foreshadowing of the rest He will provide for His children: "There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his.” (Hebrews 4:9-10).

The Sabbath is:

A time to rest from our labors.

• God set the example for us, to work for six days and rest on the seventh.

• This time away from work often gives us a mental, physical, emotional break and a fresh, new perspective when we return to work again.

A time to be filled.

• This is an important part of taking care of ourselves

• Taking time to do things that feed our souls

Honoring to God.

• we honor God by keeping the seventh day holy

• and living by the 10 commandments

A time to remember that God is our provider.

• a reminder that we are dependent on God and that He makes us holy

• time to rest in God’s promise to care and provide for us (source)

How to Create a Sabbath

Now that we’ve talked about the history of the Sabbath and why it’s important and relevant to us today, here are a few practical suggestions for creating a Sabbath day in your week:

Plan

First, choose one day in your week to be your Sabbath. As all church musicians know, Sunday is often not much of a day of rest, so maybe Friday or Saturday could work well as your Sabbath.

Second, be flexible. Your Sabbath day might vary from week to week or season to season, depending on your schedule, your family’s schedule, and what different months of your year look like. That’s okay. The important thing is to plan it out ahead of time (at least a week in advance).

Prepare

This is an important part of having a full and complete Sabbath day each week. Make a list of things you need to take care of before your Sabbath day so you can truly step away and rest. This might include:

• responding to all important emails

• returning any phone calls

• closing out of web browser tabs

• sending any reminders

• doing laundry

• planning out meals for the week

• grocery shopping

• cooking something ahead of time

• paying bills and scheduling bank transfers

Be Present

Plan something restful for sometime during the day, whatever that might be for you: cooking, gardening, going for a hike, taking a drive, reading, journal, going for a bike ride, visiting with a friend. Make sure not to plan out every minute of the day, though; leave some white space - time to just be.

Leave your phone out of sight for a few hours, commit to not checking your email for a day, and maybe even delete your social media apps for the day, if you need to.

Be present and be spontaneous. If you’re tired, take a nap. If it’s a nice day, take the opportunity to pack a picnic and sit outside for a while. If you’re weary, take it slow and spend time reading, watching a movie, and maybe baking from one of your favorite cookbooks.

What you choose to do on your Sabbath is ultimately up to you. Remember, it’s not about rules and mandates of what you can and can’t do; it’s about reconnecting with God and renewing that relationship. Find your rest in Him.

Do you have a Sabbath day in your schedule? How do you create space for it and what does it look like?