sabbath · sabbath is both a description of a life lived in communion with god and a way of...

Sabbath Grounding time in God

What do you believe about Sabbath? What is it? Is Sabbath is going to church? Is it a day of strict restrictions or a day of relaxation? Maybe it is God providing a day to recuperate from a busy week. Sabbath is all of this and more. We may go to church on Sabbath. We are intentional about our activities, which will include some restrictions. It can be relaxing, and it will certainly impact the rest of our week. But Sabbath is more, so much more, than this. First and foremost, Sabbath is a commandment. It is no less a commandment than “Thou shall not murder.” As a commandment, Sabbath is both a description of a life lived in communion with God and a way of cultivating such a life. Sabbath rest is a characteristic of life in God’s kingdom, and it helps cultivate kingdom living in our lives. Sabbath is a discipline of time. Our lives are ordered by the rhythms of time, measured by the passing of days, weeks, months and years. We are obsessed with time. Consider how much we try to control it. When we practice Sabbath, we release our grip on time and place it in the hands of God. Time is God’s to control. It is his creation and only he is Lord over time. The faithful observance of Sabbath is a daily practice, not weekly. For three days we anticipate and prepare for Sabbath. Then we welcome her into our homes like an honored guest, and for the next three days we remember the glorious gift of resting in the Lord. Practicing Sabbath builds a rhythm into our lives, a rhythm in which every moment is pointing toward the divine gift of God’s presence and Sabbath’s promise of shalom.

Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Exodus 20:8

…………………………………. 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. Dan Allender

…………………………………. And I gave them my Sabbath days of rest as a sign between them and me. It was to remind them that I am the Lord, who had set them apart to be holy. Ezekiel 20:12

…………………………………. Sabbath, in the first instance, is not about worship. It is about work stoppage. It is about withdrawal from the anxiety system of Pharaoh, the refusal to let one’s life be defined by production and consumption and the endless pursuit of private well-being. Walter Brueggemann

STOP DOING DISCIPLESHIP AND START BEING DISCIPLES << www.beingdisciples.net ©2015 J. William Feffer

Sabbath is a day of intention. It is a day we are intentional about all our actions, the activities we rest from and the ones we engage. Sabbath is a day of rest, and a day to do those things that bring us life. Take some time and reflect on the categories below to outline your Sabbath practice. Decide when you will practice it, and remember to reflect on your practice and refine it as you learn and grow. When we think of Sabbath, the first things we often think about it are prohibitions. But what activity should we refrain from on Sabbath? Scripture directs us to rest from melachah. Melachah, which we translate as “work,” does not only mean paid or even physical labor. It refers to all kinds of productive activity. At its core, this command is to relinquish control and let God be God. Disengaging from productivity To begin, Sabbath should be a day of intentionally resting from both material and immaterial productivity. Anything you consider work, in or out of the home, paid or unpaid, should be put away for the day. We rest from anything productive. Make a list of the productive activities you will rest from on Sabbath. Disengaging from busyness Because busyness is an obstacle to being disciples, we should intentionally rest from busy activities on Sabbath. Some activities are not productive but add to a sense of hurry in our lives. Identify any activities you need to refrain from or approach differently on Sabbath in order to rest from busyness. Disengaging from a desire for more On Sabbath we should also disengage from anything that incites a desire for more of anything other than God. It is an assumed truth that we need more things to be happy. It doesn’t matter how much we have presently, we tend to believe we will be happier if we have just a little bit more, but this belief is contrary to the kingdom of God. What activities feed your longing for more stuff?


Sabbath Rest SABBATH

Many of us have seen Sabbath as strictly a day of prohibition. But it is also a day of great joy. We would do well to remember Sabbath is participation in the kingdom of God. It reminds us of the way things were in the garden and is a glimpse into life after God restores the peace of Eden to the world. On Sabbath we are intentional about the activities we rest from. We are also intentional about what activities we engage. Joyful activities Sabbath is a day for joy. Joy is more than a gift from God; it is a fruit of the Spirit. Engaging joy on Sabbath brings glory to God. Consider the senses as one example. They are not arbitrary, and they serve more than a simple utilitarian purpose. Our senses were created for joy, and when we engage them joyfully, we are honor the one who created them. What brings you great joy? Is it food, story, music? Is it running, playing sports, or gardening? Joyful connection As disciples, we are constantly cultivating an awareness of God’s presence, and Sabbath is an especially fruitful day for this. We can be intentional on Sabbath to practice certain disciplines that are more difficult during the rest of the week. Is there a discipline you wish you had more time to engage? Sabbath is also a day to intentionally engage your “spiritual pathway.” Where do you naturally have a greater awareness of God’s presence? What connecting practices would you like to practice on Sabbath? Crafting an intentional Sabbath • Review your list above and consider the activities from

which you will intentionally rest and engage. • Which day will you practice Sabbath? • How do you need to prepare in order to be fully present for

Sabbath? (Consider what needs to be done before Sabbath.)


WHY TO PRACTICE SABBATH Sabbath is a divine commandment. Sabbath helps us order life around our identity as disciples. Sabbath helps us to combat spirits that are opposed to the life of a disciple, the spirit of busyness and consumerism. Sabbath is a foretaste of the peace to come when God’s kingdom comes in its fullness.

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RESOURCES The Sabbath by Abraham Joshua Heschel Keeping the Sabbath Wholly: Ceasing, Resting, Embracing, Feasting by Marva J. Dawn Sabbath as Resistance by Walter Brueggemann Mudhouse Sabbath: An Invitation to a Life of Spiritual Discipline by Lauren F. Winner New Life Fellowship Sabbath Resources http://newlifefellowship.org/resources-‐2/sabbath-‐resources/ by Peter Scazzero Sabbath: The Ancient Practices by Dan Allender Sacred Pathways: Discover Your Soul's Path to God by Gary L. Thomas

Sabbath Joy SABBATH

sabbath · sabbath is both a description of a life lived in communion with god and a way of...

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