Rhythms of Faith in Sabbath
As we enter into the rest of Sabbath based on God’s completed work, we remember that God has made himself known to us through His redemptive, saving acts throughout history. We enter into Sabbath not because God completed His work and then left, we enter into Sabbath because God’s work is for the purpose of us being with Him, whole and holy!
Faith is an integral part of our daily lives, and while faith may be expressed differently on Sabbath, it is still integral. As we continue our journey of Sabbath together, here are three rhythms of faithful rest to consider implementing in your Sabbath in this season. Because the 24-hour cycle of Sabbath can either be a typical calendar day, or a 24-hour cycle starting at dinner and ending next dinner, the rhythms are divided into three times and not a particular order.
Morning Rhythm: Faith in God’s character.
Paul, in his letter to the Romans declares that “Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature,” (Rom. 1:18, ESV). Just as God feeds the birds of the air and clothes the grass of the field (Mt. 6:26-28), His love and goodness are revealed in His creation.
This Sabbath, how can you see God’s love and character for yourself? The morning of Sabbath, enter God’s creation around you as you are able, paying close attention to what it reveals about God’s character. Even in our heavily industrialized society, God’s character cannot be hidden in creation! Some ideas include:
Walking/biking around your neighborhood or White Rock Lake.
Sitting outside, noticing the animals and plants God has made.
As you are doing this, or at the conclusion, journal what you saw, and what part of God’s character you saw.
As you are seeing creation, it is hard not to see death still, of a bug, insect, plant, flower, or animal. We can rest still, knowing that we Sabbath not because death no longer exists, but because we trust God to bring about new life in every part of His creation, and that our rhythms of life happen in the midst of this broken world.
Afternoon Rhythm: Faith through Rest
For the afternoon of Sabbath, here are some helpful questions from our previous Sabbath guides to help you decide how to rest in God’s completed work and to use your time.
Who am I with? The Sabbath is a “sacred assembly” to be together, to worship together, and to be done as a community. We need community in Sabbath to both resist the temptations to avoid Sabbath, as well as to live into the Sabbath fully.
What are the things I delight in doing, that I don’t often get to do? The Sabbath is a great time to experience and engage these things.
What things lead me away from rest with God, others, and myself, and how do I avoid those things? There are many things that actively seek to pull us away from God that easily become routines during the work week, what are those? And how can you resist them this Sabbath?
Dinner Rhythm: Faith in our God-given identities.
One of the most forgotten, and most difficult things we get to rest in during our Sabbath is our identity. Not only do we rest from the taxing grind of the rest of the week where we are in a constant struggle to make ends meet, in Sabbath we also rest from any attempt to have to earn our identities or prove our worth. Sabbath is an opportunity to get to rest in who God made us to be, assured that He will complete the work in us that He started.
Have a conversation over dinner, reminding yourself of how God sees you, and the identity the Creator of all gives you. Prayerfully read Isaiah 43:1-13, considering what God says not only about His character, but also how He views you. Some ideas for reading this passage include:
Lectio Divina: Reading the passage three times, pausing after each reading, and paying attention to (1) what words or ideas stand out, (2) how the words or ideas relate to your life, and (3) a closing prayer reflecting on God’s word.
Journaling: After reading and meditating on the passage, write down what God says about your identity, and how He protects you.