“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy” (Exodus 20:8 NIV).
“Then he said to them, ‘The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath’” (Mark 2:27–28 NIV).
Welcome to the New Year! Are you ready for a fresh start? Are you tired of the endless ads promising health and wellness this year?
I’m heading in a new direction. Rather than doing more, I encourage you to do less. Slow down. Find a rhythm of rest like Jesus.
Why are we so busy?
Busyness is a badge of honor nowadays. We’re hooked on always doing more; it’s never enough.
Our problem is fear. Fear of not being good enough. Comparing ourselves to others and fearing we fall short. Fear of falling behind. Fear of missing out.
Instead of embracing our identity as beloved children of God, we’re too busy defining ourselves by what we do.
Why should we slow down?
God created the Sabbath when He rested on the seventh day of creation (Genesis 2:3). God didn’t need rest, but He created a day of rest for us.
Then God declared the Sabbath day as a sign of the covenant between God and His people, the Israelites (Exodus 31:13).
Now, because of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, we are part of the new covenant that reconciles us with God. So why still observe the Sabbath? Sabbath observance is optional, yet a privilege we embrace as a gift from God.
How do we find a rhythm of rest like Jesus?
In Hebrew, the word Sabbath means “to desist,” “cease,” or “rest.” We stop our paid and unpaid work for twenty-four hours, to delight in the Lord and contemplate His goodness.
The Jewish Sabbath is sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. Traditionally, the Sabbath is Sunday for Christians but a day for Sabbath rest can be any day of the week.
Jesus celebrated the Sabbath. He often withdrew from the crowds to pray in solitude, and He valued rest (Mark 1:35; Mark 6:31-32; Luke 4:42; Luke 5:15-16).
Slow down
You might say, I don’t have time to slow down and rest. However, if you try to finish everything before resting, you will never rest. Practicing the Sabbath to find a rhythm of rest is an act of surrender to God.
Rest
Schedule a day of rest. Put it on the calendar. Avoid those activities that drain your energy and focus on activities that restore and energize you.
Delight
Do things that inspire you to delight and worship the Lord. Whether you love walking, family time, reading, fishing, or anything else that brings you joy, take time to do it and thank God for the gift of rest.
For example, while I find yard work exhausting, gardening energizes others to connect with God’s creation. Instead, I choose to take a walk to enjoy nature and listen to the birds.
Be flexible
In the Bible, there is a story of Jesus and His disciples picking heads of grain on the Sabbath. According to the Pharisees (the religious rulers of the day), their actions violated the laws of the Sabbath.
In response, Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27–28 NIV).
Therefore, don’t get bogged down in legalism regarding the Sabbath. What if you cannot dedicate a full day to Sabbath rest? Then try for one morning or afternoon a week. Or one day a month. The Sabbath will look different for everyone. The goal is not perfection, but creating a rhythm of rest like Jesus did.
Final words
Your Sabbath won’t look like mine. And it shouldn’t be legalistic because God created it for us. Stop striving for more and rest. How will you slow down and find a rhythm of rest like Jesus this week?
