Making Room for What Matters Most

Week 2 – Sabbath Rest

Breath Prayer

(Breathe in) Because I trust in you. (Breathe out) I will make room for rest.

“Every week the whole community [Israelites in the wilderness] entered into this exercise in trust together. Every week the community gave in to their need for rest, believing that if they did this God would continue to care for their needs…Through this very concrete discipline, they lived out their belief that somehow the work they could accomplish in six days would be enough and God could be trusted with running the world while they rested…It taught them how to honor God with the time of their lives…Sabbath keeping honors the body’s need for rest, the spirit’s need for replenishment and soul’s need to delight itself in God…” – Ruth Haley Barton

This week as we think about “making room for what matters most” we turn our attention the spiritual practice of sabbath keeping.  The rhythm of rest is something observed from the moment God created the world, to the Israelites in the wilderness, and all the way through the life and teachings of Jesus.

Sabbath is God’s way of saying, “Stop. Notice your limits. Don’t burn out.” It is a day he gives us to remember who and what work is for as well as what matters most.” -Adele Ahlberg Calhoun

Scripture Reading and Reflection

• What difficulties or compulsions make it hard for you to stop?
  
• How do you think taking a Sabbath could enhance your enjoyment of God?

Genesis 2:1-3

Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. ² By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. ³ Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.

Notice that this is the first time God declares something as holy. Why do you think God chose a day to make holy? What does that tell you about the role of the Sabbath?

Read the following passages in Exodus and Deuteronomy and look for ways they are similar and different:

Exodus 20:8-11

⁸Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. ⁹ Six days you shall labor and do all your work, ¹⁰ but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. ¹¹ For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore, the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

Deuteronomy 5:12-15

¹² “Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the Lord your God has commanded you. ¹³ Six days you shall labor and do all your work, ¹⁴ but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns, so that your male and female servants may rest, as you do. ¹⁵ Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore, the Lord your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day.

• According to Exodus 20:11, how might referencing God’s decision to rest on the seventh day inform how we are made in his image?
• According to Deuteronomy 5:15, how does referencing the Israelites’ slavery and God’s mighty deliverance give perspective to the reason for Sabbath?
• Which of those insights on Sabbath do you need to hear more?

Prayer

Since Sabbath is an intentionality “to stop”, it can be difficult sometimes to get into a good mindset of rest. One way to prepare your heart and mind is the following prayer exercise. The hand gestures are a way for you to physically demonstrate your desire to let go and then receive from the Father. Feel the freedom to modify the words in ways that really express your heart.

(Palms up) Father, I receive your love and care during my time of rest today.

(Palms down) Help me to let go of any worries and frustrations ____(name them)________

(Palms up) I welcome your Spirit to speak to me.

(Palms down) Empty my mind of distractions.

(Palms up) Fill me with what will restore and revive my soul.

(Palms down) I release my striving and need to control.

(Palms up) I find my rest in you alone.

Making Room

Although sabbath is typically a 24-hour period of time, it is important to start with a doable first step. If 24 hours isn’t possible in the week ahead, shorten the period of time. How can you make adjustments in your schedule to find some time to rest? Maybe it is as simple as going to bed one hour earlier this week.

As you set aside time to be present with God and those you love, you may consider:

• Letting go of the things that stress you out
• Trusting that the any difficult conversations can happen another time
• Forgetting about your to-do list
• Powering off your devices
• Doing activities that are restorative or restful: a walk, a nap, a visit with a friend, your favorite spiritual practice, enjoying a hobby, games with kids, journaling, date night, reading, take-out from your favorite restaurant, listening to music, mini road trip, massage… Be as creative and thoughtful in what brings you delight.

Reflect

After your sabbath rest is over, take several minutes to reflect on a few questions: Where did you sense the presence of God with you? Where did you experience joy and/or where did you experience tension?

For Families

Sometimes as parents, we feel the pressure to fill our calendars with activities that are often good for our kids, but the amount of time that gets devoted to all of the “yeses” on our schedules can leave us in a never-ending cycle of exhaustion. A full schedule can feel fun for a time, however, it can eventually lead to feeling burn-out, anxiety, and disappointment.

Teaching our children a rhythm of rest is important but you can be intimidated by “what will we do all day?”. Need some ideas? Remember that in the spirit of “Sabbath keeping” restful activities are those that are restorative and life-giving to our relationships with God, those we love, and ourselves. What may be restful to one family may not be restful to another so do what works for you and brings you joy and delight.  It will be important for your children to see you “stopping work” and trusting God to handle life while you rest.

Consider these ideas:

• Make your favorite dinner together and set the table in a fancy/fun way.
• Have a family game night.
• Look at old family videos and photos. Practice the art of retelling family stories.
• Get outside together, go for a walk or to a local park.
• Read a book aloud as a family.
• Add to a family gratitude journal.
• Take time to talk about how everyone has seen God working in their week.

When given the opportunity remind them of our breath prayer for the week:

(Breathe in) Because I trust in you. (Breathe out) I will make room to rest.