[VIDEO] Why Should I Observe the Sabbath?

It’s become counter-cultural for us, hasn’t it? This idea of stopping and resting isn’t part of our core beliefs anymore.

I don’t know about you, but between my work, family events, and volunteer ministry, it’s not often when I actually get some time off to just… be. When I do (occassionally) get a Saturday free to do nothing, we end up filling it with stuff we can’t fit in on other days. There’s just always something to do. It’s even to the point where I feel guilty if I sit down for a bit with no agenda.

There’s no time for Sabbath.

Andy Crouch points out that the God who created us to work is the one who commands us not to work. He also speaks of the responsibility we have to ensure that those around us are also taking the time to stop and rest.

If there’s anything I know for sure, it’s that God knows what I need better than I do. It might be time for me to listen to him, and break the cycle of non-stop in my and my family’s life.

Reclaiming Sabbath Keeping

Sabbath is more than a day off. It is a turning of the entire being toward God—a time set apart to contemplate life and work and praise the Creator for it all. The Christian observance of Sabbath is set apart by its lack of rules—there is no strict way to keep Sabbath in Christianity. It’s not a “must” of our faith. And yet, to ignore this fourth commandment is to miss some of God’s richest blessings for his people. In this series on Reclaiming Sabbath Keeping, we explore what the Christian Sabbath might look like and glimpse some benefits and challenges of Sabbath-keeping in today’s productivity-driven culture. Join us in the conversation and invite others along by sharing these stories through email or your social media networks.