Sabbath Practice Week 4
Rest
Whether you practice Sabbath on Sundays, Saturdays, or another day of the week, it’s essential to remember God commands us to “remember the Sabbath by keeping it holy.” To keep it “holy” means to sanctify it, set it apart, and dedicate it to God for his special purposes. Sabbath isn’t just a day to sleep in, relax, and do whatever brings you joy (it is, but it’s more): it’s a day to worship. To reorient your entire life back to its center in God.
Below you will find steps to help you engage with this practice, as well as resources for further exploration.
Ways to engage with the Sabbath Practice
First and foremost, this practice (and all practices) are meant to be done in community. If you haven't yet, find a small group of people that are commited to walking through this practice together.
Download the Sabbath Practice Guide. If you can, it is advised to print it out to reduce the distraction of our devices.
Gather with your group once a week to watch the Practicing the Way video found below. This will include questions for discussion, as well as a short teaching on that week's practice.
Step into each practice as much as you are able and feel comfortable to. This invitation is for everyone at all stages of life and faith.
Reflect on your experience of the practice using the reflection questions at the bottom of the guide and be prepared to share them the next time you gather with your group.
Recommended Reading
Sabbath by Dan Allender (Part 3 and Conclusion)
Rule of Life Podcast
Sabbath Practice Guide
Download the practice guide here
Week 4 Practice - Identify two to three practices by which you enjoy God and do them.
It’s key to discover what the spiritual writer Gary Thomas calls your “spiritual pathway;” the way you are uniquely wired to enjoy God.
For you this could be time alone in stillness, or it could be throwing a raucous party with your community. It could be walking in nature or reading a novel by the fire. It could be an emotional experience, or it could be the intellectual study of theology, philosophy, or quantum physics. It could be a sensory act such as walking, fishing, or bird-watching.
As you discern if an activity is a good fit or not for your Sabbath practice, it can be difficult to know if certain things are appropriate. One simple rubric is to filter every potential activity through the four movements of Sabbath:
Stop - Is this ceasing what I do on normal workdays?
Rest - Is this restful? Does it refill my sould with new energy?
Delight - Does this activity bring me deep joy in God?
Worship - Does this activity connect me more deeply to God and his goodness and beauty?
Week 1 Reflection Questions
Before your next time together with the group, take five minutes to journal out your answers to the following three questions about the practice:
Where did I feel Resistance?
Where did I feel Delight?
Where did I most experience God's nearness?
