Maybe “hate” is too strong of a word but the world does not get what Sabbath is and they certainly don’t understand why someone would want/need to take one. The world conspires to squelch and subvert the things that it does not understand. The world puts the Sabbath directly in its cross hairs.

Four weekends down. One great Sabbath attempt. Three Sabbath FAILS.

To be fair, I have had four spiritually challenging weekends this month. Looking back there are things that happened that I had no control over and there are things that I wouldn’t have missed out on. I had funerals to attend and a youth conference scheduled, family visits and things that had to take place between sundown Friday and sundown Saturday. I desperately tried to faithfully observe the Sabbath but I became overwhelmed and exhausted in much of my attempts. In fact, almost everything about the Sabbath seemed exhausting to me.

Getting ready for the Sabbath is exhausting. One weekend I was racing the sun as it set. I was in downtown Dallas and was rushing to get home before sundown… on a Friday! I was working twice as hard to prepare for a day of rest.

Keeping the Sabbath is exhausting. Rather than using the day to disconnect from the world in order to connect with family and God I found myself worrying about every action I was taking. “Did that violate the Sabbath?” was a constant question I asked. I focused on the ritual and not the spirit in which it was given.

I was frustrated that I could not observe the Sabbath completely but in the midst of my frustration the words of Jesus burned in my heart.

Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for people, not people for the Sabbath. (Mark 2:27 TNIV)

The Pharisees had accused Jesus and the apostles of breaking the Sabbath because they were hungry and had taken the grain, broke it up, and ate. They had violated at least one of the 39 activities forbidden on the Sabbath. Jesus tells the Pharisees that the Sabbath is a gift from the Almighty. The Sabbath is not to be our Task Master. The Sabbath works for us.

Despite failing in observing the Sabbath to the letter I did experience moments of great rest and great connection. These moments came when I took Jesus at his word and treated the Sabbath as a gift from God rather than a list of rules. I want to continue attempting to observe the Sabbath in my life after this month is over. As I have experienced it, studied it, and pondered the Sabbath this month the healthiest and holiest approach to the day of rest has to be this:

In observing the Sabbath you are not serving the day itself. You are serving the Creator. He gave you the Sabbath so that you could connect with The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit to focus, strengthen, and change you. The Sabbath is for you. Enjoy it.