What the Sabbath Means to Me

This morning as we drove to church I was awed by the beauty of mountains I call home. The leaves are brilliantly colored. Reds, Oranges, Golds, and Greens. Stunning in their beauty. (The picture above is one of my trees.) I felt the gloriousness of God’s creation even at a time when we are reminded that sin is what causes death - autumn as the leaves die and winter when life comes to a stand still for much of the world.

But even so, the world around me is beautiful. I can only wonder at the possiblities of the beauty waiting for me in heaven. Isn’t that exciting?

This last week has been incredibly busy for me. I mean, most days I stay pretty busy. But this week - all I can say is that from the moment my feet hit the floor until I collapsed into bed late at night I was rushing -feeling pressure to have it all done, pressure to do it right, pressure to meet the demands not only of my household, but of my ministry, my church, my children’s school projects, favors for realatives, and my husband.

So, as the sun began to set on Friday, the end of the week for me, I immediately felt relief. It is at times like these, when my life is good but too hectic, that I realize just how precious my Sabbath is. I wanted to share with you what the Sabbath means to me and why it is so important to me.

Our family celebrates the seventh day Sabbath given to us by God at the time of Creation. (Ex 20: 11) I marvel at how wise God was, knowing we would be so caught up with life that we would need, mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually a day to unwind, commune with God, and leave the world behind.

Our Sabbath begins at sundown on Friday and ends at sundown on Saturday. (Gen 1) So, for that twenty- four hour period we give our time to God and our family. For that twenty- four hour period, I know that it is okay to not clean the house, not do the laundry, not work on school projects, or not do anything laborious. For that twenty- four hour period, I know that I can spend my time with my family, worshiping my Savior, and enjoying a physical rest.

Many Christians today are missing out on the amazing renewal that the Sabbath provides. God intended the Sabbath to be a delight. (Isa. 58: 13) He wants us to experience the joy that comes from leaving behind the world for a day and keeping His day holy. (Ex 20:8 )

What the Sabbath Means to Me:

Church: On Sabbath morning we like to wake up early, eat an easy to prepare breakfast, ie. cereal, get dressed and head to church. At church we enjoy the Sabbath School Lesson, Song Service - Singing Praises, and a good sermon. There are Sabbaths when my husband preaches at churches in other communities and I always look forward to the fellowship with other believers. It does not matter what church we attend around the country on Sabbath morning - we are all family and feel at home.

Music: This morning was especially wonderful. I dropped my husband off at our church so that I could take the children over to Virginia for Pathfinder Sabbath which they had parts to participate in. I put in one of my favorite praise CD’s and turned it up and the children and I sang our hearts out all the way over the mountian. I felt God’s presence in every note, every word. I felt exhilerated and happy and knew I worshiped a Majestic King.

Good Food:On most Sabbaths I try hard to have a nice Sabbath evening supper prepared for Friday night that we can enjoy together. I love the Jewish traditions of lighting candles and hope to one day incorporate more of their traditions into our Sabbath evening worship. I also try to prepare a nice dinner that we can warm up after church on Sabbath afternoon. My favorite is lasagna. YUM! And then there are the Sabbaths when we get to enjoy fellowship and good food at church pot lucks. I like to prepare favorite dishes to take with me and the children always look forward to trying new and delicious foods.

Quiet: After church when we arrive home, the house is quiet. The children (and the grown ups) change into comfy clothes. We eat dinner together. We clear the table. Then, often the kids will go read their special Sabbath books, or play quietly while my husband and I rest our weary souls. Then in the middle of the afternoon, we have family time.

Sabbath Afternoon Outdoors: In the middle of the afternoon, our ritual is to take a family walk around the neighborhood. It is a lot of fun, refreshes the spirit, and we enjoy the time together. Every now and again, we will break from this tradition and go to the park to enjoy God’s creation, breathe the fresh air, and often eat a picnic supper.

Vespers: I always enjoy attending vespers. Whether it is in someone’s home or at the church, the blessings abound. There are times when we have vespers to welcome the Sabbth on Friday evening and times when we close the Sabbath with vespers. We sing songs, hear praise reports, listen to a devotional, and greet other believers with gladness.

Special Sabbath Books and Toys: For children, the Sabbath should be a treat. Something to look forward to. For the little ones I have certains toys, such as my beautiful lacing cards with adorable bugs. The older children look forward to coming home from church with the weekly magazines they receive and reading the stories, solving the puzzles, and studying about Jesus. I also have a drawer in the Family Room filled with religious children’s books so that they always know what is appropriate to read on God’s holy day.

The Occasional Nap: It does not happen too often when the weather is good, but there are Sabbaths when my husband and I are simply exhausted from the week. A rainy day seems all the better to curl up in bed and sleep. Knowing that God has asked us not to work on His day, we don’t have to feel “guilty” for taking a nap in the middle of the day if we truly need one!

Worship and Study: The best part of Sabbath, though, is the oportunity to worship a loving Savior and the opportunity to devote an entire twenty- four hour period solely to Him and His will for our lives. It is like tithing our time. We set aside the Sabbath for Him because of His incredible love for us. How could we want anything less?

Yes, you can and should praise Him daily. I do. But it is not enough for me. I need the Sabbath day not only for the rest it provides, but for the renewal of spirit.