What Does a Sabbath Look Like?

The Bible is filled with instructions about living the kind of healthy life God made you to live.

Exodus 20:9-10 says, “You have six days in which to do your work, but the seventh day is a day of rest dedicated to me” (GNT). Rest is so important to God that he put it in the Ten Commandments. He wants you to take a day off from your regular routine every week. That day off is called the Sabbath, which literally means a “day of rest,” and God wants you to do it every seventh day. (It doesn’t have to be a certain day, just every seventh day.) That day of rest is so important that even God rested on the seventh day when he created everything—not because he was tired but to give us an example of how we should rest.

For many people, the idea of taking a whole day for rest is unusual. What does it really mean to rest for an entire day? Here are three ways to make the Sabbath—whether that’s Sunday or another day of the week for you—a day of rest.

1. Rest your body.
God made you to need rest. If a red warning light for your car engine came on, you wouldn’t ignore it and keep driving. You’d stop because you know continuing to drive the car would damage your engine. It’s the same for you. If you keep pumping the adrenaline all day, every day, seven days a week—the “engine” of your life will break down. Being your best requires rest—so you need to choose to take one day off every week to rest your body.

2. Recharge your emotions.
This can look different for different people. Maybe you need just to be quiet. Or perhaps you need to reconnect in your relationships. Or it could be that recreation rejuvenates you. Whatever it is that recharges you emotionally, be sure to take time for it on your Sabbath.

3. Refocus your spirit.
During your Sabbath, don’t take a day off from God. Instead, set aside special time to worship! Worship puts life into perspective. But it’s also easy to overlook, so be sure to schedule worship into your Sabbath. Remember, if you’re too busy for God, you’re just too busy. Psalm 127:2 says, “It’s useless to rise early and go to bed late, and work your worried fingers to the bone. Don’t you know he enjoys giving rest to those he loves?” (The Message)

Read that truth again: God enjoys giving rest to those he loves. Be intentional about taking your Sabbath—and make it count!