Exodus 20:8

8             Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

The Fourth Commandment

A classic command: remember the Sabbath and keep it holy. A reminder for me to take the last day of the week and relax. To give it to God and allow him to restore my heart and soul for what the future has for me. Yet what does it mean to remember the Sabbath day? How can you keep one day of the week holy?

REFLECTION CHECKPOINT: How did you learn about the Sabbath? What do you know about it today?

The Essence of Sabbath

To remember the Sabbath means to be mindful and intentional about it. Based on the seventh day of creation when God rested, it’s a reminder for us to rest and reflect. It was an act that set the Israelites apart from the other nations – and the action that can set us apart as Christians. Keeping it holy means making this time sacred and different from our normal day-to-day life. It was a time to dedicate to God. They didn’t do any work and worshiped, reflected, and came together as a community. Jesus shows us the benefits of the sabbath through His healing acts – showing that the Sabbath was a time for restoration and mercy. For Israel, the Sabbath was a set seventh-day practice under the original covenant. For us, it’s a principle of a regular, set-apart rest rooted in God’s love still matters, even if the exact day and form look different.  

A sabbath is a dedicated time to rest and reflect. A time to connect with God after a period of work and reflect on it. What was good? What was bad? What could have been better? It’s our time to restore our souls. We dedicate time to separating ourselves from our labor and production and allow our souls to be recharged. It could be through worship music, reading your Bible, or going to church. It can also be cooking, singing, dancing, gaming, going for a walk, and more. These are the small quiet moments that you can have to dedicate to God and create these moments of replenishment and restoration. These aren’t works of productivity to create an output for the greater society. They are works to create a refreshed sense of self and reconnect with God. To create a place where one can connect with God about all the inner working our heart, mind, and soul.

REFLECTION CHECKPOINT: What is one Sabbath activity that you can participate in to help restore, reflect, and replenish?

How the Sabbath Can Benefit Us

27          Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath

Jesus shows us that the Sabbath was given as a gift to us – as a time of rest and spiritual renewal. The Sabbath was intended to benefit humanity by providing rest and a reminder of God’s role in our life. It’s not meant to be a burden, but a blessing. By the time of Jesus, there were many rules added to observe the Sabbath. Jesus is showing us that our needs and well-being are greater than strict adherence to society-made rules.

In our capitalistic society, there’s a primary focus of productivity – always doing something whether it’s work, socializing, side hustles, and more. That we should always be working on doing something, even self-help has turned into a productive industry, filling time up with journaling, yoga, etc. The point of the Sabbath is not to be productive. The point of the Sabbath is to replenish and reflect. To replace our inner energy with something that replenishes our body, mind, and soul. Maybe it’s cooking our favorite meal(s) to meal prep for the week. Maybe it’s journaling the highs and lows for the week. Maybe it’s listening to our favorite worship music and sermons to grow closer to God. Maybe it’s cleaning a spot that brings you peace and comfort. Whatever it is – it’s too help ensure that our body, mind, and soul are brought together in alignment through the goal of how God created us.

REFLECTION CHECKPOINT: How can you change your view of rest from the way the world teaches it to us.

Next part: How Parental Honor Reflects God’s Authority || I Command You || Part 5