The Sabbath: Made for Man
“And he said to them, ‘The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.’” - Mark 2:27-28
This month, the Good Christian Co. is looking into the Sabbath. Why we should cherish the Sabbath, what the Sabbath means biblically and even what it means to us.
Most of us today would acknowledge the Sabbath as a day each week where we try not work, but instead rest, and to give thanks to God. Many of us understand that even God built in a day of rest while creating the world, and we observe a day of rest in response.
But in the westernization of our modern world, we seem to have lost a bit of the holiness that was once observed on the Sabbath. We take a “day off” when we need it, ideally trying to fit it in once a week, but often filling up our weekends as full as our weeks. And even if we do take a day off, we perhaps don’t consider the reason why we are resting, or even the reason why we were called to a Sabbath in the first place.
To the historical Jew, the day of Sabbath was a day of holiness and rest to be strictly observed. So strict in fact, that the oral tradition of Jewish people went far beyond even the limitations of Torah, restricting the Jewish people from doing pretty much everything but praying and having traditional Sabbath dinner with one another. Work was forbidden, obviously, but as time went on, the strictest followers of the law, the Pharisees and Sadducees, began to create even further restrictions, in some cases even forbidding the collection of eggs laid by a chicken on Sabbath, and the lighting of candles on Sabbath (a strict followers would actually hire a Gentile to light their candles on Shabbat)!
And this is why, when Jesus came and walked among his people, He wanted to set the record straight. The Sabbath, which had originally been set aside to give man an opportunity to pause and seek his Creator—to reflect on who they were in the eyes of God—had become a time of reflecting the desire of the Pharisees to be guiltless and perfect in the eyes of man.
In the classic way we humans do, we had twisted and perverted a holy day, to make it about us.
So. In many ways, it is good we do not, as Christians, follow the Sabbath to the point of this kind of strictness. But I have to ask myself, if we are following it strict enough…or strict at all? After all, Jesus did not “do away” with the Sabbath. He simply corrected our relationship with it.
We still have just as much need to take a breath from our hectic lives (made all about us) and reflect on the goodness of a generous and merciful God.
So, for the month of March, we invite you to come alongside us, leading up to Easter, and adjust your Sabbath practice.
Here are some guidelines that might help you observe a true Sabbath in your life.
Choose a day that is best suited to the Sabbath:
If church responsibilities and obligations (outside of simply attending church) make it difficult to rest on Sunday (and this can absolutely be the case, especially for ministers, pastors and small churches) perhaps choose your Saturday.
Refrain from checking off do-to-lists, paid or not:
This doesn’t just apply to paid work, but all the household stuff too. Additionally, you have permission on this day to turn off the emails and the phones. You’d be surprised how challenging this can be to many of us (including me), but the point is that you’re enjoying the blessings of a life God has granted. And taking time to be with Him and family, is 100% allowed.
Say “no” to other obligations:
It may not be “work” related, but we often clutter our weekends up with countless events, obligations and responsibilities for ourselves and our families. If you cannot avoid an event, it’s okay (this is not a legalistic practice here)— but consider taking a different day that week as your Sabbath.
Minimize digital noise:
This looks different for everyone. Possibly turning off all T.V. all day may not work for your household, but perhaps limit it to a timeframe. Avoid social media platforms that simply take up time for no reason. The point is to avoid emotional and mental clutter and noise.
Your Sabbath should look different from a “day off”:
It’s not just a vegging around day (though relaxation and slowness is absolutely encouraged). Instead, find a time, or a couple times, to linger in God’s presence. Maybe you put on worship in the morning, maybe you take the kids’ quiet time to listen to the Word. Maybe you sit together with a loved one and go over the things you’re grateful to God for. Maybe you simply pray!
Most importantly, remember that your day is more than a mental-health and wellness day. It is a time to connect with God in a unique, and singular way. Good luck — would love to hear from you about what you’d like to shake up this month!
