INWARD DISCIPLINE

SABBATH

DESIRE

 to set apart one day a week for rest and worship of God

DEFINITION

Sabbath is God’s gift of repetitive and regular rest. It is given for our delight and communion with God. Time for being in the midst of a life of doing particularly characterizes the sabbath.

SCRIPTURE

“Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. . . . There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest.” (Hebrews 4: 1, 9-11)

“The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.”

(Mark 2: 27)

“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God.” (Exodus 20: 8-10)

PRACTICE INCLUDES

-       setting aside time for intimacy with God and others you love

-       resting in God one day per week

-       practicing restful activities: walks, picnics, a Sunday afternoon nap, a phone visit with someone you love, tea or coffee with a friend, family time, games with your kids,

love-making

-       letting go of things that stress you out for twenty-four hours

-       letting the difficult conversations happen another day

-       not developing a to-do list for Sunday

-       refraining from competition that moves you into a bad place

GOD-GIVEN FRUIT

-       keeping company with Jesus through the sabbath

-       freedom from the addiction to busyness, rush and hurry

-       acknowledging your human limits and living within them

-       honoring the way God created you by living a healthy and intentionally rested life

-       living a weekly rhythm of rest followed by six days of work

-       delighting in God, family, the seasons, meals and all good gifts of creation

-       trusting God for all that you’re not doing and taking care of on Sunday

Spiritual Disciplines / Adele Ahlberg Calhoun