Sabbath
"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
I am just returning from a week of vacation at our family place in Dauphin Island with Amy, daughter Saige, her husband Blake, and four grandkids, my sister and her husband Richard, and my 86 year-old dad, see pics in link below. We spent the week watching sunrises and sunsets, operating at a much slower pace than normal, and I had the opportunity to do one of my favorite things, fishing for speckled trout on the coast, a passion of mine since I was a young boy. It was a fun and genuinely refreshing week. Even though I was active fishing, cooking, and playing with grandkids, I came home feeling rested and renewed. Times like these remind me how gracious God is in the gift of Sabbath rest and how much He desires to speak to us and restore us when we are willing to step away from the demands of our daily work and simply be still.
The Sabbath is one of the most misunderstood and underutilized gifts God has given us.Many associate it only with Jewish custom or reduce it to simply attending church on Sunday. But Jesus makes it beautifully clear that the Sabbath was made for us. It is not a burden or a religious obligation. It is a gift designed for our good, our health, and our wholeness. Since God created us, He knows exactly what we need. And if He rested on the seventh day of creation, how much more do we need to build this rhythm into our lives?
Three Principles of Godly Sabbath Rest
Sabbath Is an Act of Trust in God as Our Provider: At its core, taking a Sabbath is a profound act of faith. It is us saying to God, I trust You more than I trust my own productivity. In a culture that glorifies busyness and equates worth with output, choosing to stop is countercultural and deeply spiritual. God designed us as whole persons, spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally, and He calls us to steward that wholeness well. For years, I really struggled with taking a Sabbath. As a driven and goal-oriented person, unplugging from work felt uncomfortable and even irresponsible. But over the last 15 years, I have made Sabbath a weekly priority, typically from Saturday evening to Sunday evening, stepping away from work/producing, and emails unless there is a genuine emergency. It is not always easy, but it has become one of the greatest and most fruitful disciplines of my life."In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat, for He grants sleep to those He loves"Psalm 127:2.
Sabbath Restores What Life Depletes: God did not design us to run at full capacity without rest and renewal. He modeled Sabbath in creation not because He was tired but because He was establishing a life-giving rhythm for us to follow. The principle is simple; we work from a place of rest rather than running toward rest. Sabbath is a rhythm of intentionally pausing from work to refocus on God, relationships, and the things that truly matter most. When we honor this rhythm consistently, we find that God does more with our six days off focused work than we could ever accomplish in seven daysofstriving in our own strength. Here is a fun fact for you: the quick-serve chain Chick-fil-A closes on Sunday to honor this principle, and its stores do more business meaningfully in 6 days than any of its closest competitors. On average, their stores generate more than twice the revenue per annum than the second runner-up, McDonald's. Check out more atCase Study: How Chick-fil-A Closes on Sundays and Still Beats Every Fast Food Chain - Hustler's Library."Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls"Matthew 11:28-29.
Sabbath Deepens Our Relationship with God and Others: Perhaps the greatest gift of Sabbath is not simply the physical rest it provides but the relational depth it creates. When we stop striving and producing, we create space to simply be with God and with the people we love most. Some of my most meaningful moments with God and with my family have come during Sabbath seasons when I was not trying to accomplish anything but simply being present and available. Summer is also a wonderful season to take an extended Sabbath in the form of a family vacation. Stepping away from work for a week or two brings remarkable renewal, fresh perspective, and a renewed sense of gratitude for the blessings God has placed in our lives. As I experienced this past week at Dauphin Island, I found a different space to hear from the Lord. Some of God's clearest and most tender whispers come when we slow down enough to hear."Be still and know that I am God"Psalm 46:10.
The Sabbath is one of God's most practical and loving gifts to us as His children and as leaders.If you are not currently practicing a regular Sabbath rhythm, I want to encourage you to try it. Set aside one 24-hour period each week to rest, worship, connect with family, enjoy God's creation, and simply be still. Take a walk, go fishing, play golf, enjoy a great meal, or just slow down and be present. Trust God with the rest and watch what He does.
Challenge Question: What would it look like for you to intentionally set aside one day each week to rest, reconnect with God, and recharge, trusting that He can do more with six days of faithful work than you can do with seven days of striving? If you are not doing this already, commit to trying it for the next few weeks and see what God does.
Prayer: Father, thank You for the gift of Sabbath rest. Forgive us for the times we have been too busy or too driven to receive this gift. Help us to trust You enough to stop, to be still, and to find our renewal in You rather than in our own productivity. As we step away from our work this week, meet us in the stillness. Speak to us, restore us, and fill us afresh with Your presence, peace, and purpose. May our rest be an act of worship and our renewal a testimony of Your faithfulness. In Jesus name, Amen.
The Sabbath is God's gift to you. Receive it, protect it, and watch how He refreshes and restores every area of your life. Have a blessed and restful week!
