Sabbath
A 24-hour gift of rest, delight, and worship
In a world where burnout and exhaustion are on the rise, we can greatly benefit from practicing sabbath. Sabbath comes from the Hebrew word, Shabbat, which means to stop or to rest. It’s one day out of the week where we stop, rest, delight, and worship. This is something God models for us in Genesis 2:2 and we continue to see through both the Old and New Testament. Sabbath is not another to-do or something to evaluate. Sabbath is a gift from God for our benefit.
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
What is the Sabbath?
The word "Sabbath" simply means to stop. In Genesis, God worked for six days, then rested on the seventh. He built a rhythm into the fabric of creation itself. When we live in alignment with this rhythm, we can find peace and joy.
Sabbath is a 24-hour period set aside to stop working, stop striving, stop consuming, and simply rest in God's presence. It's not religious duty. It's delight. Not a rule, but a gift.
Early Christians called it "the Lord's Day," a weekly day of worship woven into the fabric of ordinary life.
Framework drawn from Practicing the Way (practicingtheway.org)
Learning Sabbath
The Practice: Four Movements
Stop
God built rest into the fabric of creation. Learning Sabbath begins simply: set a time, develop a beginning and ending ritual, and begin.
Practice: Set a time to rest, develop a beginning and ending ritual, and pick 1-3 Sabbath activities.
Rest
Sabbath rest is a form of resistance. The world is busy and Sabbath is a time to stop and slow down.
Practice: Make a list of what you will not do on the Sabbath, and explore a centering prayer exercise.
Delight
Sabbath is a weekly rhythm that returns us back to ourselves. A full day set aside to celebrate life with God, share time with loved ones, and do the things that fill up your cup.
Practice: Pick 1-3 activities that curate joy for your personality and soul.
Worship
Sabbath is ultimately a holy day set apart for God. It's a weekly rhythm of worship that shapes the spirit we carry through the whole week.
Practice: Identify 1-3 pathways, ways you deeply enjoy God, and spend the day in worship.
Reflections for Sabbath
Before, during, or after your Sabbath, let these draw you inward. There are no right answers, only honest ones.