I have a confession to make.
On September 19th, I told you about how the Lord told me, “Your yesterday is affecting your today.” Well, it turns out there was more to that revelation than I initially saw. It turns out my lack of attention and intention was also affecting my Sabbaths.
For several years, I have practiced observing the Sabbath. After years of working in the hospitality industry, my days off were not consistent, and sometimes I went without days off. All those years taught me that only I could set boundaries for myself, and that Sabbath was not a luxury but a necessity.
I embraced the Sabbath with excitement and intention. I would tell anyone who would listen about the benefits of Sabbath. For me, the first time I practiced, I turned off my phone and opted out of entertainment, which left me refreshed and refueled for my next week. Each week I eagerly looked forward to the Sabbath, planning my meals, and borrowing novels to read from the library. Sometimes I’d make a big meal and invite friends over to partake of the gift of Sabbath. Each Sabbath, I’d light a candle, pray, read scripture and take communion whether or not I had guests. It was part of my practice. There was something reverent about intentionally entering this way. It felt like I was crossing into another realm.
Well, two weeks ago I realized that over the last several months, I had become careless with my Sabbath. I was entering irreverently. I was leaving my phone on more frequently. Sure, it would be on DND, but we all know that a phone that is on is a constant distraction. We check it even when we don’t need to. As I sat with the revelation, I heard a gentle whisper in my spirit, “You have been making time for everyone else on Sabbath, except Me.” It was true, and I was gutted. I immediately repented and made plans to be intentional about my next Sabbath.
On my next Sabbath, I planned my meal, finished my work and ran all my errands before sundown. Retrieved my scriptures, and when it was time, I sat down at the dinner table and reverently entered Sabbath. And so, my Sabbath reset began, and I revisited some resources I had engaged in when I first learned how to practice the Sabbath.
The first mention of the Sabbath is in Genesis.
On the seventh day God had completed his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, for on it he rested from all his work of creation. – Genesis 2:2-3 CSB
I cannot count how many times I have read these verses and yet not put into practice that God blessed the seventh day and separated it as holy. God Himself rested, so who are we to think we don’t need to rest? Abraham Joshua Herschel puts it this way in his book, The Sabbath,
“He who wants to enter the holiness of the day must first lay down the profanity of the clattering commerce of being yoked to toil. He must go away from the screech of dissonant days, from the nervousness and fury of acquisitiveness and the betrayal in embezzling his own life. He must say farewell to manual work and learn to understand that the world has already been created and will survive without the help of man. Six days a week we wrestle with the world, wringing profit from the earth; on the Sabbath we especially care for the seed of eternity planted in the soul. The world has our hands, but our soul belongs to [God]. Six days a week we seek to dominate the world, on the seventh day we try to dominate the self.”
Another thing I realized was that Sabbath had stopped being a delight for me. It had turned more into just a day off rather than a day to delight in. In his book, Sabbath, Dr. Dan B. Allender writes,
“The Sabbath is an invitation to enter delight. The Sabbath , when experienced as God intended, is the best day of our lives. Without question or thought, it is the best day of the week. It is the day we anticipate on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday—and the day we remember on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. Sabbath is the holy time where we feast, play, dance, have sex, sing, pray, laugh, tell stories, read, paint, walk and watch creations in its fullness. Few people are willing to enter the Sabbath and sanctify it, to make it holy, because a full day of delight and joy is more than most people can bear in a lifetime, let alone a week.”
I had taken the day for granted, rather than as acceptance to an invitation into delight.
As I have been revisiting my Sabbath resources, I realized that even though I knew these things, reviewing the materials helped remind me of some things I had forgotten, and put them back into practice.
Friend, do you practice Sabbath? If so, I’d love to hear what it looks like for you.
If you don’t and are interested I’m sharing links to resources below that you can check out.
Sabbath Resources
Podcast
Books
Until next week …
Miracles + Blessings!
Brenda
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Thank you for this reminder to rest and find joy in the Sabbath. Modern life has eroded so many of the simple things of life which God knew would be for our good. The Sabbath is about connection with God, family and nature, and in our busy lives we have neglected all three thinking we are doing ‘good’ as you say. May our Sabbaths be filled with worship, praise, love and joy as God intended.
It’s so true. Modern life has eroded the simplicity God created our lives to be. Yes, and Amen!