The Backdrop
You’ve probably heard of the word sabbath, and you may have a good idea of what it means; but as much as that word shows up throughout the Bible, it actually gets very little play in Christian circles today. You’ve probably heard about how God rested on the seventh day after six days of work to form all of creation. You probably know that keeping the Sabbath is one of the Ten Commandments (number four, in fact). Also, you’re probably aware the New Testament changed the way Christians observe the sabbath. So, while we don’t observe the sabbath the way God commanded Israel to do in the Old Testament, we still can benefit a lot from its principles. In fact, sabbath principles could be some of the most helpful tools to apply to our Christian walk.
The What
If you were to look up the word sabbath in a Bible dictionary, you’d see the root of that word means “to cease.” That sounds a bit counterintuitive in today’s “git r done” society, even in church and youth ministry circles where we constantly are striving for spiritual growth and fruit. Ceasing does not get anything done; but there must be something to this, so let’s take a peek.
The Word
In the passages below, you’ll see the creation of the sabbath along with a few other passages that give insight into the whole concept of “ceasing.” As you read these, look for anything that tells you why rest or the sabbath is so important. (What did it do for God’s people? What did it do for God?) You may want to print out these passages so you can mark the verses when you find the information.
“Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. By the seventh day, God had finished the work He had been doing; so on the seventh day, He rested from all His work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it He rested from all the work of creating that He had done” (Gen 2:1-3).
“Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Say to the Israelites, “You must observe My sabbaths. This will be a sign between Me and you for the generations to come, so you may know I am the Lord, who makes you holy. Observe the sabbath, because it is holy to you. Anyone who desecrates it is to be put to death; those who do any work on that day must be cut off from their people. For six days, work is to be done; but the seventh day is a day of sabbath rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day is to be put to death. The Israelites are to observe the sabbath, celebrating it for the generations to come as a lasting covenant. It will be a sign between Me and the Israelites forever, for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed'” (Exod. 31:12-17).
Now let’s shift gears a bit. The passages below aren’t officially connected to keeping the Sabbath, but they are connected to Sabbath concepts such as rest and ceasing. As you read these passages, simply note what takes place during times of ceasing, rest, or solitude:
“He says, ‘Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.’ The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress” (Ps. 46:10-11).
“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed” (Mark 1:35).
“The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to Him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, ‘Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest'” (Mark 6:30-31).
“They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, because He was teaching His disciples” (Mark 9:30-31).
The So What
What stands out to you as to why God created the concept of the sabbath in the first place?
Did you notice in Exodus 31:17 how rest benefited God? It says He was refreshed. Think about that—God was refreshed! This is like a giant megaphone from God to us: When you cease striving, you will be refreshed!
What do you learn about rest and solitude from the actions of Jesus and His disciples?
Seal the Deal
God rested, and He commanded His people to do the same. The psalmist was still. That stillness helped him see that God was God. Jesus sought rest and solitude for Himself and His disciples. Sometimes He would teach them in this solitude. Other times they just rested.
We are living in one of the most fast-paced, stressed-out eras of history. Even our spiritual lives are hurried and goal-oriented. Our church time is busy. Our devotional time is task-heavy. Our serving opportunities are detail-driven. However, as you can see from the passages you just read, God asks for something different.
Think about the pace of your life during the next four weeks. It’s probably crankin’ busy, but that’s all the better for applying the concept of sabbath to your life. You see, it was crazy for a farming tribe such as Israel not to work for an entire day out of the week. Yet that day off spoke volumes to the neighboring tribes. They knew the people of Israel were serious about following God. The sabbath also spoke deeply into the people of Israel—it was a weekly reminder that God was the real deal.
So, amid all your busyness, schedule a block of time each week for the next four weeks to do something kinda crazy: Schedule some quiet, restful time. When you do this in the craziness of a busy life, you are showing God (along with friends and family) that you are serious about a relationship with Him; plus, you’re giving your relationship exactly what it needs. The key is to carve out time that is best described as “no striving.” To get in the right framework, you may also need to think of it as simply wasting time with Jesus. Just be still. No striving.
Here are a couple ideas on how to waste time with Jesus:
• Take a one-hour walk with Jesus. Talk with Him just as if He is walking beside you. Because, well, He is.
• Sit in a park or on a porch and read a few psalms.
• Write out a prayer to God.
Remember, after God rested, He was refreshed. He’s wanting the same for you.
