Session 33

What is the Sabbath and why does it matter?

From Mark: A 6-Week Devotional

It’s the most dreaded notification every smartphone owner receives: “Battery low. Connect your charger to continue working.”

Our phones are not built to work non-stop without reconnecting. The same could be said of us. We also need to connect to our power supply. That’s why God commands us to set aside time to rest in Him and be refreshed by His love. This command to rest and recharge is called the Sabbath.

God's instructions on the Sabbath were simple: Don’t work. Instead, rest and make this a holy day for me (Exodus 20:8-11). But over time, religious leaders created a list of rules for what people could and could not do. When Jesus showed up and started healing people on the Sabbath, it rocked the status quo. Religious leaders were angry. Others didn’t know what to think. 

But Jesus was making an important point. The Sabbath was not meant to be a meaningless ritual or an excuse to be lazy. Taking a Sabbath is an exercise in learning to trust God. When we choose to rest and reflect on God, we’re admitting that we don’t keep the world running and God has it all under control.

God wants us to be fully charged for life and for His work. We need to recharge physically with a good night’s sleep, a restful vacation, or a break from exertion. Likewise, it’s important to recharge spiritually by reading the Bible, praying, singing in church and listening to good teaching. But we should never get so focused on how and when we rest that we lose sight of why we do.

Reflect:

• What does taking a Sabbath look like for you?
• When do you feel the most relaxed? When do you feel closest to God? How can you set aside time to do those things each week?