“Daddy, how many more sleeps until Sabbath?”
My son’s words sunk deeply into my soul, a joy welling up from within, like watching a quiet sunset over the hills after a hard day’s work. About ten years ago, my family and I would begin an experiment: take seriously the Judeo-Christian example of one 24-hour period of no toil. This is a more accurate term than words like “work,” simply because it captures an image of incessant labor experience week in and week out. In fact, the saying in our home goes like this:
We Rest. We Play. No Toil. God Delights in us.
I find it interesting, talking with pastors and parents, the amount of pushback I get when encouraging a weekly rhythm of Sabbath versus other biblical habits. It has been another HOLY DISTINCTION for followers of the Most High God for thousands of years, yet Christians living in America are terrible at ceasing toil. As a matter of fact, I am convinced we lack a real depth of understanding when it comes to rest and Sabbath. I have found it primarily to challenge false assumptions.
Three Mental Shifts for Parents
1. From Day-Off to Ceasing and Celebration
One of the Hebrew meanings for the word shabbat is “to cease.” Scholar Kristi McLelland helps us: “We cease our work, in order to celebrate Creator God’s work in redeeming the world.” To cease and celebrate reminds you and I that we are not the Creator of the Universe, and this is a good thing.
2. From Normal to Holy
“And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.” ( Genesis 2:1-3)
We must mark out and set aside this time as unique and different than the other six days of our week:
- Put it in your calendar.
- Knock out a weekly to-do list before Sabbath.
- Highlight and cultivate rhythms that elevate Sabbath importance.
- Light candles, sing and dance, sleep in, take a family walk; reserve for Sabbath -specific activities the family delights in.
- Do what brings joy, celebration, worship, laughter, delight, and fills you up.
3. From Ought to, to Made for You
You ever notice, Jesus likes healing and doing Kingdom work on Sabbath (Luke 4:16, 31; 6:1, 6; 13:10; 14:1)?
Mark 2:27-28 records Jesus’ response to the Pharisees one Sabbath: “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”
It would be easy to look at this passage and conclude, “See! I don’t have to Sabbath,” and you would be somewhat correct. We do not have to cease. We may feel there is no “time” or that we are no longer bound by the law. Truthfully, Jesus is probably not going to strike you from the heavens — this is not an ought to thing.
However, what is wise? What does Creation tell us? What does The Story consistently say to us? We can see how serious Creator God is about the holiness of Sabbath (Deuteronomy 5:12-15; Exodus 31:12-14). For the Hebrew people, all of their week is oriented toward and out of the Sabbath rest. I am confident, when we trust and Honor Jesus by being obedient and ceasing from work one day, He will take care of our work the other six days.
Simple Sabbath Practices for Families
*Say no to all screens for a full day, unless it is a family movie.
*Use plastic/paper cutlery only.
*Prepare a candlelight dinner around the table.
*Sing, pray, read Scripture aloud…together.
After years of practicing this wonderful gift, with confidence, Sabbath is one of the best decisions we have made as parents. Our children ask for it, look forward to it, and never ‘do it’, perfectly. Is that not the point? We Rest. We Play. No Toil. God Delights in us.
