I SEEM TO HAVE LOST MY SABBATH

|| Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. ||

Exodus 20:8

Sometimes I forget about my Sabbath. When I do remember to look for it, I can't seem to find how to fit it in to my work and ministry schedule. And when I find a week that works to fit it in, I just can't seem to keep the weekly Sabbath rhythm. Sometimes I also struggle with understanding what a Sabbath day even looks like in my life, so I find things to fill up the day like any other "day off."

Does any of this resonate with you? Because maybe I'm not alone here. 

I was recently in a conversation with our lead pastor and some other young pastors about the Sabbath day in our lives. We shared different ways of interpreting the idea of keeping a Sabbath day and how it pertains to our identity as reflections of God's own image. I was truly convicted and touched by this conversation, and immediately began to take notes on the pieces of this conversation that were reshaping how I viewed a Sabbath day in very practical ways:

A Sabbath day is a day to remember who you are and who you were created to be in God's image. You are no longer a slave, you are no longer in bondage and you are not a work machine. You are first and foremost a redeemed worshiper of God. The command of remembering and keeping the Sabbath was given to the Israelites as a way to set them apart from the rest of the world and also to set them apart from the way they were living as slaves in bondage. We also are new beings in Christ. Our old ways of living are no longer, and we are to remember who we are in Christ as we honor the privilege of keeping a Sabbath day. 

A Sabbath day is a day to avoid having a plan. It's a day to simply just be and to enjoy everyday blessings with those we cherish. Enjoy doing an activity you love or a hobby that brings you joy. Enjoy lingering conversation over coffee and a late breakfast. Every other day of the week is scheduled — even Sundays! Days are filled with meetings, obligations, family and work events, rehearsals and many other checklists. Make yourself fully available to spend time with the Lord, and to spend time with your family. Take time to lead your family by teaching them how to spend time with the Lord.

A Sabbath day is a day to not work. Though we all work in ministry in some shape or form as disciples of Jesus, working in church ministry can often create some blurred lines that desensitize us to the importance and discipline of keeping a Sabbath. We have plenty of excuses: Sundays can't really be a Sabbath because we are exhausting all our energy to serve in our areas of ministry. Saturdays are usually the day to check off items on the list of house projects. Emergencies also always come up during the weekend before the service, so I need to keep my phone on at all times. A Sabbath is a day to set boundaries and keep them. Turn off your phone, turn off your email and be present. 

A Sabbath day is a day to not listen to the world. It's a day to set aside all the things that the world is screaming at you to do, and to listen rather to what the Lord has for your life. Do you find yourself exhausted in comparing yourself with the success of others and thinking, "I need to be doing that!" or "Why haven't I been successful in this area?" Take time to seek the Lord's will for your life, not the forceful and guilt-filled will that comes from the exhausting patterns of the world. Be aware of your motives for pursuing different things — are you trying to keep up with the world, or are you wisely listening to the Lord? Take time to read his word and to fill your heart with truth and life. Equip yourself with the truth of the word so you are ready and confident to say "no."

A Sabbath day is a day to rest the mind, heart and body. And to not feel guilty about it. We are not machines. We have a capacity. Sometimes I even have the audacity to think that I have more capacity than God thinks I do. Six days? Come on, I can handle working for more than six days! But God designed us this way to give us the opportunity to rest and take care of our entire being. It's actually quite thoughtful of him to offer us a weekly day retreat. Doesn't that sound wonderful? It sounds like a brilliant business plan. But of course, we find ourselves fighting the culture of the American life in order to experience such a day. Everything surrounding us is pulling us in different directions and making us feel guilty for not tending to everything that floods into our lives. But the Lord offers us a life free of guilt, and a way to recharge our entire being. 

There are plenty of other things that have been taught regarding a Sabbath day. These are simply notes that came up in our conversations that made keeping a Sabbath day more attainable and hands-on for me. It directly helped me recognize areas of my life that I do not allow to have rest. It also helped relieve me of the guilt I feel for wanting to observe a Sabbath day in such a success-driven world. I was recently in Israel, and was able to observe how devoted they are to honoring the Shabbat. It was astounding to me that during the hours of Shabbat, the entire country shuts down. They spent time eating dinner with their families and celebrated together in song as the Shabbat neared its end. 

I want my life to be a reflection of who my Lord and savior created me to be. I want to maintain health and balance, to find joy in my everyday blessings and to remember who I am: a redeemed worshiper, first and foremost. 

I hope you are encouraged to find your Sabbath!

Jamie 
jrobison@b4church.org