THE JOYFUL LIFE
  • Home
  • Shop
  • Blog
    • HEART
      • Faith
      • Bible Study & Theology
      • Marriage
      • Motherhood
        • Motherhood (ALL)
        • Parenting Toddlers to Tweens
        • Parenting Teens
        • Parenting Adult Children
        • Raising Boys
        • Raising Girls
      • Divorce | Single Motherhood | Blended Families
      • Adoption & Foster Care
      • Infertility & Miscarriage
      • Friendship & Community
    • HOME
      • DIY Projects
      • Family & Home Management
      • Fun for Kids
      • Homemaking
      • Homeschool
      • Hospitality
      • Recipes
    • LIFE ISSUES
      • Anxiety
      • Difficult Family Dynamics
      • Emotions
      • Health
      • Identity & Purpose
      • Loss | Suffering | Grief
      • Work & Life Balance
    • REVIEWS
      • App Reviews
      • Book Reviews
      • Product Reviews
    • FEATURED INTERVIEWS
    • SEASONAL & HOLIDAY
  • Daily Devotions
  • About
    • Meet the Team
      • Management & Staff
      • Editorial Team
      • Blog Contributors
      • Devotion Writers
      • Photographers
    • Statement of Faith
  • Work with Us
    • Write for Us
    • Advertise
    • Employment
  • Contact
  • account
The Joyful Life News
Sign up to receive Joyful Life Community news, weekly blog post updates, shop announcements, and more.
A QUARTERLY COLLECTIBLE | Heart & Home Inspiration
THE JOYFUL LIFE
  • Home
  • Shop
  • Blog
    • HEART
      • Faith
      • Bible Study & Theology
      • Marriage
      • Motherhood
        • Motherhood (ALL)
        • Parenting Toddlers to Tweens
        • Parenting Teens
        • Parenting Adult Children
        • Raising Boys
        • Raising Girls
      • Divorce | Single Motherhood | Blended Families
      • Adoption & Foster Care
      • Infertility & Miscarriage
      • Friendship & Community
    • HOME
      • DIY Projects
      • Family & Home Management
      • Fun for Kids
      • Homemaking
      • Homeschool
      • Hospitality
      • Recipes
    • LIFE ISSUES
      • Anxiety
      • Difficult Family Dynamics
      • Emotions
      • Health
      • Identity & Purpose
      • Loss | Suffering | Grief
      • Work & Life Balance
    • REVIEWS
      • App Reviews
      • Book Reviews
      • Product Reviews
    • FEATURED INTERVIEWS
    • SEASONAL & HOLIDAY
  • Daily Devotions
  • About
    • Meet the Team
      • Management & Staff
      • Editorial Team
      • Blog Contributors
      • Devotion Writers
      • Photographers
    • Statement of Faith
  • Work with Us
    • Write for Us
    • Advertise
    • Employment
  • Contact
  • account
0

Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy: Intentional Living in Light of Salvation

  • Ronne Rock
  • January 12, 2022
girl holding bible
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print
girl holding bible

In the midst of our fast-paced, busy lives, keeping the Sabbath day holy can feel like an impossible task. But the reality is, Sabbath was never meant to be chased or confined; real Sabbath happens while life is happening. 

In this article, Ronne Rock shows us how we can embrace Sabbath rest in powerful and practical ways—just like Jesus did—right where we are.

Sabbath.

The word conjures up the image of God resting in a hammock with a cold glass of lemonade, taking the ultimate day off while someone else mows the lawn.

We’re taught to define Sabbath as a commandment to rest carved on stone, and we’re also taught that Sabbath is the thing we don’t do enough. As a former church staffer, I listened to both pastors and congregants talk eagerly about what Sabbath looks like. They described a worship service and good sermon in the morning. This was followed by a great meal with family at lunch, then a nap. Or maybe watching a football game on television rather than responding to work emails. And when that one-day Sabbath failed to offer true rest, there would be talk of an extended Sabbath—a sabbatical with time away from everything to disconnect from the busy and reconnect with the simple.

The Harsh Reality

Days off are good. Vacations are healthy. Time away should be celebrated. We all need weekends in our weeks. But the reality of our lives rarely includes 24 hours of blissful nothing.

No, our realities far more often look like rushed mornings and unfinished homework. It was meltdowns and missing ingredients essential to dinner recipes. Reality was relentless pings from computers letting us know more work is being added to our overflowing plate. It was the ever-present ache of longing to have the conversation or visit the aging family member or simply be held.

None of it sounds very holy. And none of it sounds like Sabbath.

WHAT TRUE SABBATH LOOKS LIKE

If Sabbath was merely a day of the week or a quick vacation, Jesus would have demonstrated it. Yet in Mark 1, He broke all the rules set in place about Sabbath by the religious leaders and was condemned for His actions. He healed on the Sabbath, and His disciples worked on the Sabbath. Jesus declared that Sabbath was more than simply ceasing work. He reminded all those who would listen that He knew what Sabbath was because He created it. And the purpose of the Lord of the Sabbath is to tend to the people who receive Him.

Yes, RECEIVE. It’s not about getting away, running away, hiding away. There is no place we can go to find Sabbath—no mountain retreat, no warm sandy shoreline. It was never meant to be chased or confined. Sabbath is the very presence of Jesus, given to us.

The Sabbath of his presence

Sabbath is a cool breeze, a wash of peace, a do-over, a start-again in the midst of the still going strong. Real Sabbath happens while life is happening. Sabbath is there in our commute to the office. It’s there in staring at spreadsheets, in the living room and nursery, and at the bedside vigil of a dying loved one. Sabbath is even there in the worship service and the message and the family lunch. And it’s there long before there’s a nap and a game on TV.

In Mark 2, after Jesus healed on what was considered by religious leaders to be a day where no work—not even benevolent life-saving care—could be done, He and His disciples were walking through some fields of grain. The disciples grabbed some of the grain to eat. Again, the religious leaders were up in arms about Sabbath rules.

Jesus stopped, looked them in the eye, and said, “‘The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath’” (Mark 2:27, NLT).

There is no place we can go to find Sabbath. It was never meant to be chased or confined. Sabbath is the very presence of Jesus, given to us.

Ronne Rock Tweet

It might seem Jesus refuted the commandment to remember the Sabbath and keep it holy. But in reading about His journey, it becomes evident He not only honored the Sabbath, but it infused every aspect of His life. Sabbath rest wasn’t confined to a calendar. No, it was woven into His days. He embraced Sabbath rest in powerful and practical ways that you and I can embrace as well:

1. JESUS KNEW WHEN TO TAKE THE LEAD AND WHEN TO LET OTHERS DO THE WORK 

In Mark 6, Jesus sent every disciple out to ministry on His behalf. Knowing full well all their struggles, He trusted them and let go of the need for control.

2. JESUS KNEW WHEN TO WALK AWAY FROM CONVERSATIONS—AND RELATIONSHIPS 

The Gospels recount story after story of Jesus engaging with others. But Scripture also shares stories of Him walking away when conversations weren’t fruitful. Jesus knew the demands being placed on His life. He knew the expectations of both those who loved Him and those who wanted Him dead. But He didn’t feel compelled to manage those expectations.

 3. JESUS STEPPED AWAY TO PRAY AND GATHER STRENGTH

In his article, “There’s a Place for Solitude in All Our Lives,” Ward Cushman shares six reasons Jesus chose to step away and pray.

  • For a Major Task: Luke 4:1-2,14-15. He spent 40 days praying in the wilderness and being tempted by Satan before beginning His public ministry.
  • To Recharge After Hard Work: Mark 6:30-32. When His disciples returned from their ministry tour, He encouraged them to rest and refresh.
  • To Work Through Grief: Matthew 14:1-13. After Jesus learned John the Baptist had been beheaded, He lamented.
  • Before Making an Important Decision: Luke 6:12-13. Jesus spent the entire night in prayer before selecting His disciples.
  • To Focus on Prayer: Luke 5:16. Many times in Jesus’ ministry He spent time alone in prayer.
  • In a Time of Distress: Luke 22:39-44. Before Jesus was arrested, He stepped away to pray as He faced the anguish of what was going to happen.

4. JESUS MADE TIME FOR MEALS, SAVORING CONVERSATION AROUND THE TABLE WITH BOTH FRIENDS AND STRANGERS

Jesus was unafraid to keep it simple, and he used what was available. He borrowed a boy’s barley bread and dried fish to feed thousands. Jesus let others take the lead when he sat at the table with tax collectors and sinners. He used Passover bread and a glass of wine to invite His disciples into a tender place of common union. 

5. JESUS GLADLY ACCEPTED THE INVITATION OF HOSPITALITY FROM OTHERS

Peter’s mother-in-law fixed a meal after being healed (Luke 4:39). Mary and Martha loved to have Jesus as a dinner guest (Luke 7:36). Even the Pharisees opened their home to Him (John 12:2). Jesus said “yes” to them all. 

6. JESUS WAS UNAFRAID TO BE ALONE

Jesus knew the rest that can be found in silence, in contemplation, in giving our souls space to breathe. As He and His followers walked to Jerusalem, Luke says Jesus was resolute—quiet—for the 22-mile hike. Jesus opted to walk by Himself to a feast—a 90-mile journey that offered Him several days of solitude. And He found ways to have that soul-space even when He was with His disciples. In Mark 14:32, as they all went to Gethsemane, “Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Sit here while I pray’” (NIV).

EMBRACING SABBATH REST

Perhaps you are a bit like me. Maybe twinges of shame creep in at the thought of slowing down, taking a breath, giving space for Sabbath rest. Perhaps you’re believing that letting go of the good work will result in that work being dismantled, destroyed, or diminished—or forgotten entirely.

As an author, I’m encouraged to keep proclaiming my message so it catches your attention. And as a wife, mom, and grandmother, there is always one more thing to do to tend to those I love. As a minister, it’s tempting to push rest to the side as long as there are needs yet unmet. It’s as if rest is either our one-day-down-the-road compensation—or an outright crime.

He Enjoys Giving Rest

Sabbath rest is neither. It’s a place so worthy that it’s woven seamlessly into God’s design for our days. Sabbath rest gives permission to place those days squarely in the Lord’s hands for safe-keeping, no matter where the days find us. 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 Translation)? Jesus embraced that rest fully.

Take a moment. Just take a breath. And most of all, remember: God delights in giving us Sabbath rest.

 

How do you typically embrace Sabbath in the midst of a busy life? And how might Ronne’s article encourage you to view it from a different perspective?

15 SIMPLE WAYS TO ADD JOY TO YOUR DAY IN LESS THAN AN HOUR

15 simple ways to add joy

Need a little extra joy in your day?

Our team has put together this FREE printable for our readers to help you infuse joy into your life quickly.  Enter your name and email below and we’ll send this fun printable right over!

Share This Post

13
0
5
0
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print
Ronne Rock

Ronne Rock weaves themes of transformative hope and grace-filled leadership into everything she shares on page and stage. She’s an author and speaker—offering honest encouragement and road-tested wisdom about topics ranging from leadership and ministry engagement to discovering your God-crafted design and purpose. Her book, One Woman Can Change the World: Reclaiming Your God-Designed Influence and Impact Right Where You Are, is available wherever books are sold. An Oklahoma gal by birth, Ronne now lives in the Texas Hill Country with her husband, Brad, and rescue pup, Pearl. Her son and his family live in Arizona, which Ronne has deemed way too far away. You can find more of her writing on her website.

5 comments
  1. Michele Morin says:
    January 12, 2022 at 9:49 am

    So thankful, Ronne, for this freeing perspective on sabbath. My word for 2022 is REST, and I am delighting in the connection my heart keeps making between rest and worship.

    Reply
    1. Ronne Rock says:
      January 12, 2022 at 4:30 pm

      Michele, I’m so glad it encouraged you! As I focus on the word “cultivate” in 2022, discovering the many ways Jesus cultivated Sabbath in His days was a breath of fresh air to me!

      Reply
    2. Ronne Rock says:
      January 12, 2022 at 4:30 pm

      Michele, I’m so glad it encouraged you! As I focus on the word “cultivate” in 2022, discovering the many ways Jesus cultivated Sabbath in His days was a breath of fresh air to me!

      Reply
  2. Robert Dawson says:
    March 9, 2022 at 3:24 pm

    It seems like people are afraid to say the word Sabbath these days, in my eyes, there is no such day as “Saturday”, according to Scripture, every day should be called by it’s number, and you can celebrate the Sabbath every day of the week, Shalom!

    Reply
    1. Ronne Rock says:
      March 25, 2022 at 1:59 pm

      I love that perspective! Yes to celebrating the beauty and refreshing of Sabbath every day!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

TRENDING POSTS
  • benefits of memorizing scripture 1
    Benefits of Memorizing Scripture and 5 Easy Methods to Help You Get Started
  • childrens book about family 2
    Leapin’ Leopards Book Review: New Childrens Book About Family Adventure!
VISIT OUR SHOP
  • Issue 08 | REDEEM — Digital Version $14.00
  • Enough Study Guide | Digital | The Joyful Life ENOUGH | Digital Bible Study $12.00
  • DIGITAL BIBLE STUDY BUNDLE | Choose Any 3 Studies $32.00
Follow Us on Instagram
The Joyful Life News
Sign up to receive Joyful Life Community news, weekly blog post updates, shop announcements, and exclusive offers for our subscribers.

AMAZON AFFILIATE PROGRAM DISCLAIMER | The Joyful Life is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Amazon offers a small commission on products sold through their affiliate links. Every purchase you make through our Amazon affiliate links supports our ministry at no additional cost to you.

  • BLOG
  • SHOP
  • WRITE FOR US
  • EMPLOYMENT
  • ADVERTISE
  • Terms
  • ACCOUNT
  • Contact
© 2022 The Joyful Life Co., LLC
Site Design by Maize Agency

Input your search keywords and press Enter.