Remember the Sabbath
by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 01/26/2007 at 11:51 AM
When Lynne Baab and her husband lived in Israel, they kept the Sabbath. In her blog "God's Gift of Rest" she recounts the rewards of such a discipline.
Our Sabbaths in Israel became God's gift to us individually, and enriched our life as a couple. Through Sabbath-keeping, we experienced the truth that God's love for us isn't based on what we do. We yearned to keep growing in our ability to receive that unconditional love once we returned to the U.S.
Never did a culture need the Sabbath as ours does today. It pressures us to be productive 24/7. Everything we do has to look good and accomplish something. Nothing encourages us to stop. By contrast, the word "Sabbath" literally means stop, pause, cease, desist.
This article reminded me of a discipline I avoid: keeping a Sabbath. I consider it a nice idea, but I haven't taken steps to actually make it happen. Baab makes me consider the spiritual (and physical) benefits I may be forfeiting.
My husband and I have received many gifts from our commitment to honor the Sabbath: a day to spend with our children — and each other — without needing to get something done. A day free of multitasking. A day free of striving for perfection and productivity. A day to rest in God's goodness. Over the years, these gifts have continued to bless us and grant us glorious freedom in Christ.
I don't know if I'm ready to commit to keeping a Sabbath, but I'm thinking about it. Have you tried it? What was the outcome?
1. John said the following at 12:06 PM on Jan 26:
This is a Biblical concept that I frankly find difficult. The Lord Jesus Himself warned against excessive Sabbath legalism: "The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath." (Mark 2:27) Recall, too, that the Fourth Commandment is the only one not repeated in the New Testmant, because the Sabbath Rest for believers is salvation in Christ (see Hebrews 4:4-9). However, to listen to some of the Puritan fathers call for strict observance of the Sabbath with forced inactivity is distressing.
As far as I am concerned, I acknowledge my body's need for rest and recreation, and the necessity of a convenient and proper time to meet for worship. To be honest, though, I find any further restrictions irksome and borderline legalistic.
2. Ame said the following at 12:23 PM on Jan 26:
When my ex husband and I went through a separation three years ago, I was, for the first time, "head" of my home with children. And as such, I had the opportunity to contemplate "Sabboth" in our home. As I looked at the Ten Commandments, I decided I could not choose which to obey and which to blatantly not -- especially since my ex breaking commandments caused our seaparation and later divorce.
So, I implemented Sabboth in our home, and Sundays are our Sabboth. I don't allow my girls to make any comittments on Sundays -- they do not play with friends or have friends over. They do not attend birthday parties. We rarely shop on Sundays -- and if we do, it's usually grocery shopping. Often, on Sundays, we pick a movie and curl up and watch it together. We do go to church on Sundays, but on the Sunday's we do not go to church, we have their most favorite kind of church, "Home Church," where it's just the three of us. It's a day free of committment.
I've found that my girls take this seriously. If I tend to waiver on the Sabboth, they pull me firmly back into line -- children are good at that ;)
When I put my house on the market, we had some people come to view it on a Sunday. My girls said, "Momma, why are they looking at our house on the Sabboth?" They were right. So I called my realtor immediately and disallowed all viewings on Sundays. That created amazing relief and rest for all three of us!
As I write this I can see there is more the three of us can do and can avoid to make our Sabboth's more holy. However, we have truly made them a day of rest - one which we truly, now, cannot live without.
3. Danni said the following at 12:43 PM on Jan 26:
I agree wholeheartedly!! I've tried it, and failed. What are some specific ways we can keep it?
I agree that the commandment, "Sabbath day should be kept holy" is one that is not upheld in today's culture. I think we all need to work on that more. God says to "Be still and know that I am God" yet how often are we still, with no music, no tv, no computer and no phone?
I do have a question relating to keeping the Sabbath. With families it seems like it is easier, yes there are more people, but they can interact together. Oppositely, often times single people have nothing but a computer and phone to keep them company. What are some ways singles can 'keep the Sabbath day' without living like it is just another Saturday?
In my past, I have (occasionally) made a conscious effort to be still, but I always fail. I will be still ... and fall asleep ... or let my mind wander ... or on occasion, I will be still for as long as I think I can, then go do something else. It, along with silence, are lost in today's generation ... let's bring it back!!
4. Rachel said the following at 12:44 PM on Jan 26:
I've kept the Sabbath for my whole life -- 25 years. I cannot imagine life without it. On the rare occasions that I am unable to keep it for unavoidable reasons, I find that it effects the rest of the next week in a negative way. The phrase TGIF (Thank God it's Friday) holds a whole different meaning to me because it's almost the Sabbath. (As an aside, I keep it on Saturday, and gather with other believers for worship on Sunday, but that's a whole different subject). I look forward to it the whole week. Keeping it is not about fulfilling my "duty" to following one of the Ten Commandments, it's more like coming up for a breath after spending my week swimming underwater. It's like setting down a heavy load and taking a break to rest. Taking a day to rest physically effects you in a good way. I could go on... :)
Of course sometimes it's not easy to keep, but in my experience the benefits totally outweigh the frustrations. Whether "the Sabbath Rest for believers is salvation in Christ (see Hebrews 4:4-9)" is true or not, it still doesn't change the fact that keeping it does do more good than harm.
I believe God's point in creating the Sabbath was more about the good that comes from keeping it, and not about creating one more chance for us to fall into legalism. I believe keeping the Sabbath isn't about puritanical restrictions, but is about recognizing what is rest (which is the point of the Sabbath), and spending your day doing that. If climbing a mountain is restful for you, go for it!
5. EmmaLee said the following at 12:48 PM on Jan 26:
The Sabbath day was to be a day of rest. I think God intended it to be used to enjoy the blessings He has given us. To enjoy the company and relationship of family, the beauty of nature, the comfort of home and the wonder of Gods word. I don't think a specific day needs to be set aside as long as we remember to pause and really appreciate and use the blessings that God has given us.
6. Keziah said the following at 1:29 PM on Jan 26:
I believe that, if the other commandments still stand, the fourth one is equally as valid. It is given to us as a gift to enjoy the day of rest. I love having one day of the week almost forcibly free from household chores, studying and the general busyness of daily life. As a doctor, I of course have to work on the Sabbath and so because my work of one of "mercy or necessity", but I certainly feel the difference for not having had a day of rest, fellowship and worship.
7. Isaac said the following at 2:03 PM on Jan 26:
I'm a huge fan of the Sabbath.
I can empathize with John's concerns about legalism, but I have never found the practice of Sabbath-keeping legalistic or restrictive.
Celebrating our eschatological rest in Christ, and the rest of God after creation, entering into the new creation through a time of ceasing from our labors in the cursed world ... this is not a restriction but a wonderful opportunity to experience the freedom of God's grace.
As for the claim that Sabbath law is the only law not repeated in the NT, I strongly disagree for three reasons.
First, I disagree because I find it a ridiculous notion that God did or should repeat anything so that we could be sure it was a good idea when he said it the first time. The inspired writings of the New Testament are wonderful in the way they help us understand and apply the implications of Jeremiah's new covenant and the coming of the Messiah, but they do not give us a new moral code to follow and we do the authors a disservice when we look for one.
Secondly I disagree because there are a host of commands that are never repeated in the New Testament but which are considered valuable for Christian ethics today. Where in the New Testament is bestiality forbidden? Where is the prohibition on kidnapping "repeated"? Care for the poor? Laws relating to incest? Murder?
Thirdly I disagree because there is significant NT teaching regarding the Sabbath, and you have cited two of them already. Jesus' comment that the Sabbath was made for man and not vice versa (which incidentally is an earlier Rabbinic teaching) is an affirmation of Sabbath keeping as Good Thing for mankind. The theology developed by the author of Hebrews, understanding the eschatologicical rest of the new creation in Christ as a typological fulfillment of the Sabbath also affirms the Sabbath itself as a Good Thing. I don't think you belive that The Marriage Supper of the Lamb as a typological fulfillment invalidates marriages here and now, why should you believe the same about a typological fulfillment of the Sabbath?
Anyway that's my 0.25 USD. YMMV.
8. Laura said the following at 2:52 PM on Jan 26:
I tried keeping the Sabbath in my second semester of graduate school. I decided to commit to it after reading Marva Dawn's Keeping the Sabbath Wholly. Theological reasons for doing so aside, it was the most productive I've ever been. There's something about taking a day off and focusing fully on God's grace that helped me to organize the rest of my time better. I suspect there's a good non-legalistic reason for Sabbath-keeping: it's good for us to rest.
9. Dawn said the following at 3:04 PM on Jan 26:
During college, I was involved in a very rigorous ministry program that didn't always allow much free time. As a result, many of the students (and even the staff) were perpetually exhausted.
A few years later, I took a class where the required reading was "Keeping the Sabbath Wholly" by Marva J. Dawn. This book, along with that class, completely changed the way I approach both work and rest.
Throughout the Pentateuch, the Israelites are instructed to work six days and rest one. Both the lazy and the overworked will benefit from the Sabbath principle. Rather than taking the Sabbath as a legalistic command, we should realize that the Sabbath truly WAS made for man. After all -- "He grants sleep to those he loves" (Psalm 127:2b)
10. KJ said the following at 3:53 PM on Jan 26:
One thing I've noticed, especially in recent years, is that those who are involved in a lot of church ministries find Sunday to be wholly unrestful. Honestly, there have been Sundays where I felt like I was just getting out of bed to go punch my time card with God by going to all the services. Obviously, that says I have a mindset that needs fixing, and I am working on saying no to opportunities that will take up an unhealthy amount of my time. And I think churches should be careful to keep from creating so many services and opportunities that the always-there-whenever-the-church-doors-are-open crowd gets burned out. But then again, doesn't that notion fly in the face of posts in recent weeks suggesting that setting boundaries for one's time is selfish and unbiblical? It's a fine line to follow.
One year in college, my roommate and I decided that we were going to set aside Sundays and not do any homework. We worked diligently Friday night and Saturday, and that gave us a day free from studying. We were still busy (attendance at all church services was required, and travel to get there took up quite a bit of time) but there was something special about Sunday, and I liked that.
11. Suzanne said the following at 5:15 PM on Jan 26:
The thing that resonated with me about keeping the Sabbath was Baab's statement: "Through Sabbath-keeping, we experienced the truth that God's love for us isn't based on what we do."
I think Sabbath is equally about God's relationship with us (and maybe even more so), as ours with Him. When you think about the Israelites, they were forced to labor in Egypt every day of the week. And here is God giving them a day to rest. He shows them that their value is not in what they do, but in who they are: His people. That's pretty profound.
12. Leah said the following at 5:35 PM on Jan 26:
While *excessive* legalism is bad in this area, keep in mind that in the 10 commandments we are told to keep a sabbath. And while we are not under that law, we should still strive to keep those laws out of love and obedience to God. I don't think there should be any question about it. It's like saying "I don't know if I'm ready to commit to honouring God's name, but I'm thinking about it. Have you tried it? What was the outcome?"
Why is keeping this particular Commandment legalistic and not "do not misuse the name of the Lord your God" or "do not give false testament about your neighbour"? Repetition should not be an issue- why does God need to repeat himself? Should we not listen the first time? It's not like we are depending upon it for our salvation.
I've kept Sabbath my whole life with my family- we don't do homework or chores or practice our instruments on Sunday. I have taken to studying assignments on Sunday afternoon if it's easy and doesn't require me to do much thinking :P I have grown up not shopping on Sunday too, so as not to encourage store owners to work on Sunday. However this has changed in the last year as many young people from churches in the surrounding area meet at a fast food restaurant to chat. This is the only time I see some of my friends. Most of the time I don't buy anything, but do sometimes. I'm still sorting out whether that's an issue of Sabbath that I need to reconcile. But I know that when I get a job, I will *not* be working on Sunday. That makes is like any other day, completely defeating the whole purpose of a Sabbath.
13. Jacob said the following at 6:46 PM on Jan 26:
I think one's understanding of God's commands plays an important role in this discussion. As a few people have commented before, the idea is that we take the day and spend it resting and rejoicing in God. While some might think a command to rest sounds odd, I would propose that it is a strong expression of Christian liberty. We commonly misunderstand "liberty" to mean the freedom to do whatever we want. There is a word for that, and that word is "license." Liberty is the freedom to do what is right and good. Thus, Christian liberty is the freedom to obey God's commands and not be hindered internally by sin, or externally by imposed restriction against the observance of those commands.
The sabbath, then, is a time when we have the privilege of exercising our freedom in Christ to draw closer to him, worshiping and honoring him and thanking him for what he has given us.
I use to feel obligated to go to church every sunday, even if I didn't want to. In recent years, God has fostered in me a love for God and worshiping and fellowshiping with his people. This has transformed my sundays into a day of obligation to a day of true refreshment and rest. This semester, my goal is to take care of my responsibilities and homework early so that I can be more free on sunday to enjoy the rest of God.
14. Ted Slater said the following at 7:55 PM on Jan 26:
Maybe the Sabbath isn't primarily about rest, but about work. After all, it begins:
"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work...."
Or maybe it's reminding us to take a break from something many of us love and gain our self esteem and identify from (our work), so that we can instead turn to the Lord and recall that our self esteem and identity should rest in Him and what He's done.
15. Lis said the following at 2:44 PM on Jan 27:
I was thrilled to see this topic addressed!
Like Rachel (who happens to be my sister!) I'm a life-long lover of the Sabbath.
In my experience, Sabbath-keeping makes me much more productive. It gives me a deadline for completing things, encouraging me to make the six days as productive as possible so I can truly relax on the seventh.
It gives me "permission" to take time to recharge my batteries -- something I don't think I would be able to fit in if I wasn't gifted with the conviction that God wants me to stop -- today.
(In fact, the Bible touts Sabbath as the reminder that we are no longer slaves in Egypt, but free to stop working and rest! Based on a direct command from Higher Up, I have authority to say "No" to the tyranny of the urgent. And believe me, I wouldn't, otherwise).
I have more emotional margin when I keep the Sabbath -- and I can tell the difference when (like the last two weeks) I'm called away on all-day field trips. It's as if I store up a little cup of quiet inside me, and I can draw on it all week long. I think it makes me more able to give out to others.
Sabbath-keeping keeps me centered. I suppose it is to the week what personal devotions are to each day. It gives me the time to remember who I am, and Whose I am. It goes a long way towards enabling me to resist the pull of the world around me.
What does a Sabbath look like? I'm still learning that one, and often I see by the week that follows whether I've really managed to recharge or not. Of course, ultimately it's just an act of faith: showing up at Jesus' door and opening my heart for whatever He wants to fill me with for the next week.
Today that meant sleeping in, reading my Bible, reading encouraging blogs, and sitting under a blossoming almond tree and soaking up the quiet.
I wouldn't be surprised if keeping a Saturday Sabbath makes me more ready for church on Sunday. Actually, I have a lot of sympathy for the Sunday Sabbath-keepers who feel a little worn out. Having tried the Saturday church custom that's prevalent in Israel, I know how conflicting it can be.
In fact, my great-grandparents originally began by reserving Saturday as a family day, for that very reason ... a practice that grew into a full-fledged Saturday Sabbath, with all the richness found in the first part of the Bible, coupled with Jesus' refreshing reminder that He made the day for us, not vice versa.
(A comment He surely wouldn't have made if He was about to abolish Sabbath entirely).
Like Lynn Baab, I've lived in Israel for a while, and I've learned a lot from my Jewish friends. Sabbath punctuates their lives with joy. In fact, they lavish so much festivity on the day that it's almost like Christmas every week: food, finery, and family with a spiritual tang for good measure.
I've also seen the legalism that Jesus was addressing. Does eschewing your car and walking several miles on a summer day to visit a friend really help you rest? How about being unable to pick up the telephone and call a friend that you are anxious about?
I can just imagine God looking down on first-century Israel and saying, "Well, that's not what I meant!" And so Jesus adjusted our understanding of the day. "I made it for YOU!"
Thanks to Him, I have the freedom to use Spirit-led common sense in my Sabbath-keeping. I'm free to ask, "Will this refresh me? Will this turn my attention to God?" Thanks to Jesus, I'm not stuck or stranded in a thicket of rules, and thanks to Him, Sabbath is not exile; it's an oasis.
16. Charity said the following at 2:53 PM on Jan 28:
I see a lot of people on this blog saying that because the Bible said it in the Old Testament, it doesn't matter whether it's repeated in the New Testament, because God said it once, so we are to obey it forever. But I am just curious how many other commands from the Old Testament people feel the need to follow...
How about eating pork? (Deuteronomy 14:8)
Got a railing on your roof? (Deuteronomy 22:8)
What about mixed fabrics? (Deuteronomy 22:11)
Do we loan anything to a fellow believer and charge interest? (Deuteronomy 23:19)
17. Syrex314 said the following at 9:21 PM on Jan 28:
Why can't we focus on the principle behind this law? Maybe it is still required of us; maybe it isn't. But I have yet to meet a single person who has weekly set aside a day for rest and finds themselves regretting it.
I know that for myself, I would do well to be reminded that work, school, productivity, and my personal problems are not my masters, but God is. But then how many times have I slacked off during the week, thinking I can make it up later, only to find myself slaving away at homework the whole weekend while my friends are out playing in the snow? How many times have I told my mom on the phone that I can't talk for long because I'm too busy now? You get the idea.
We are here for two reasons: to love God and to love our neighbors. The rest is in the details...
18. Leah said the following at 10:25 PM on Jan 28:
Charity, it was made clear in the New Testament that we are allowed to eat pork. (Acts 10:9-16). Also, those other Deuteronomy references were cultural which have all been dismissed for various reasons. The railing thing clearly has a purpose- to avoid people falling off the roof. It was common for people to wander about and socialise on rooftops back then. Not exactly common practice these days. As for the matter of interest, God was clearly speaking to the *Israelites* then. Besides, I don't think I know anyone who would charge interest when they loan something to a fellow Christian.
Anyway, point is, many of these cultural guidelines have been dismissed these days. But have *any* of the 10 commandments (other than this one) ever been dismissed for any reason? No. So why should this one?
19. meowgirl36 said the following at 8:44 AM on Jan 29:
I had never really thought about setting Sunday aside as a Sabbath until a suggestion in a sermon I heard earlier this year piqued my interest.
Since then, although not perfectly, I have gotten my homework done on Saturdays, and allowed Sundays to be a day of enjoying church activities and my campus fellowship. And it's been remarkable.
Although my attitudes toward the day have changed, I still feel as if there is more I could do. I'm thinking about shutting down and hiding my computer on Sundays (I often feel as if it controls my life), in order to help me maintain the non-hectic, deadline oriented work that I'm often involved in. It would be dramatic for me, and I think that is, at least in part, what the Sabbath is about.
20. David said the following at 9:55 AM on Jan 29:
This is a great thing to address. During my internship for bible college, I found my role changed from "intern" to "interim" as the pastor I was working with left to do a church plant in Vancouver. I found myself being a fulltime student and in fulltime ministry and part time babysitting to supplement my income. I had to read Eugene Petereson's "Working the Angles" and in it, he talks about keeping the Sabbath. I wrestled with that. When on earth do I have time when I have divided responsibilities?
I found that it was a lot like tithing. Sometimes we look at our budget and decide we can't, but we step out in faith and tithe and God provides. It was so much the same with time, I guard my sabbath and keep it, and time to finish my responsibilities just happens to be there.
I loved hearing about the experiences of people who have kept it for such a long time! Thanks for the encouragement!
21. Erica said the following at 10:03 AM on Jan 29:
It’s good to see an article about Sabbath Keeping in your column. I have been a Sabbath Keeper since I became a Christian over 26 years ago. I keep the Sabbath on Saturday as I am a Seventh Day Adventist. On that day we don’t do major domestic chores such as house cleaning, laundry and Raking the yard. Our lunch and clothes for Church are prepared from Friday. Friday is Family night so everyone tries to reach home early on that evening. We don’t watch Secular TV, Study for Exam, Play games with our Friends and go to work from Friday evening to Saturday evening. We worship twice per day during weekday on Friday our worship is longer. As a child it was never boring as it is planned to include activities for children. It’s day where we spend time with God, Our Family and people who share our faith. I am so blessed by that as an Adult, I don’t missed the news, sports, the office as it is day we tune out the world and tune in to God and our Family.
22. Marie said the following at 11:04 AM on Jan 29:
Something else to remember about keeping the Sabbath is that it's not about us. Yes, God in His good pleasure and kindness gave us a day to rest, but that is a single raindrop sliding off the umbrella of the concept of Sabbath. Sunday is a day specifically set aside by God for Him to receive His covenant people into His presence and for us to have fellowship with Him and the church as a body.
In regard to the previous poster's question about how singles ought to spend the Sabbath, I can only tell you how my Sabbaths usually go. I too am single, and I have been blessed to be included in my sister-in-law's family as one of their own. Typically we have a long, discussion-filled lunch at her parents' house after morning service, we sit around the table talking and enjoying each other's company, and those who need a physical rest can go lay down on the couch for a while. :-) At 5:30 our church comes together for prayer before the evening service. If you do not have the blessing of family around, I would suggest reversing things and look for people you can invite to your house. Learn to cook, be hospitable, and prepare yourself the day before. Your friends (single and married) will love it! An entire day spent in holy fellowship and worship is a foretaste of heaven.
23. G said the following at 1:22 PM on Jan 29:
hurrah Sabaath.
24. Charity said the following at 1:46 PM on Jan 29:
In Romans 14:5, the Bible seems to state that one does not HAVE to dutifully rest on the Sabbath. It simply says that we should each be convinced in our own minds of what we should do, and that whatever we do, we are doing unto the Lord.
25. Laura said the following at 2:04 PM on Jan 29:
I agree it's a good idea to keep Sabbath, and I really appreciate what the Baab's said about it being a reminder that our salvation has nothing to do with what we do. However, several folks have mentioned keeping it as part of the Commandments, and there seems to be some confusion as whether we are beholden to these or not.
This is a question that's come up when sharing the Gospel before -- why do we keep the big 10, and not all the other regulations, as Charity mentioned in her comment. The Law existed as part of God's covenant with Israel, not mankind at large. It does however show us bits of God's character and whats right and wrong, as well as showing us our deficiencies. Ergo, while Christ never told us to follow the Ten Commandments, they do show us what holy living looks like.
I still have lots of questions on the Law and how (or if) it should apply to us. Maybe this is something Boundless could address sometime?
26. Jessica F said the following at 2:13 PM on Jan 29:
The organization I went with overseas encouraged us to take a Sabbath each week. A specific day wasn't emphasized over another -- in ministry the major work day is Sunday, so the schedule works around it. They also encouraged us to take a day a month to use our hands to create something. It was good. Now, to apply it in America! :)
27. U K said the following at 3:31 PM on Nov 27:
I am not being a jerk but I find it funny how many people on this thread have found a way to rationalize not doing what God said the SPECIFIC way he said to. First, while the majority of the Christian world worships on Sunday, we find not a single verse to support it. Sunday is not blessed by God. Sunday is not made Holy by God. How can you keep a day Holy that never was Holy? God said "THE" seventh day, not "A" seventh day, or "Any" seventh day. Sunday is never called the Sabbath in the bible, so why do men call it Sabbath? The Sabbath is never called Jewish in the bible, but men call it Jewish. Why? It's funny that Sunday Christains claim to be saved under the New Covenant, not "that Old Jewish Covenant". They don't seem to notice that the New Covenant is made only with Jews. God never made a salvation covenant with gentiles. Gentiles are "graffed in" or "adopted into" the covenant God made with the Jews according to Paul.
"Behold, ...I will make a New Covenant with the house of ISRAEL and the house of JUDAH".(not gentiles).
28. Hung said the following at 6:05 PM on Oct 10:
Alot of the articles are pretty well stated. But i have a question. Since when is the sabbath on a Sunday? Aren't we supposed to rest on the seventh day and not the first? If you read the history behind the day of worship, your will find out how it was changed and by what purpose it was changed. Yes, Jesus rose up on a Sunday, but that was an excuse to change the day of worship. Please study the bible carefully, and do not be deceived the culture and the mistakes of the past.