Sabbath

Jesus proclaimed he was Lord of the Sabbath (Luke 6.1-5), fulfilling the Old Testament witness that Sabbath is a day given to God in rest and worship. While most Christians no longer follow the Old Testament Law, many see Sabbath as an important way of “marking the week”. Often Christians choose Sundays in memory of Jesus’ resurrection (Luke 24.1a), but others may choose Saturdays or another day in the week.

The below resources express a variety of ways Christians may mark the Sabbath, but the emphasis should be on Jesus’ command that “the Sabbath was made for humanity, not humanity for the Sabbath” (Mark 2.27, see also Matthew 12.12 and John 5.17).

As with all spiritual practices, finding a way to Sabbath in a way appropriate to your context can take time, yet ultimately Sabbath is not about finding a way to “succeed”. At its best, it is a space to let go and let God restore.

Further resources

Books
John Mark Comer, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry
Walter Brueggemann, Sabbath as Resistance

Eugene Person (in Working the Angles) encourages Sabbath to be split between Pray and Play activities. How do you best connect with God? What do you enjoy doing which isn’t part of your official responsibilities?