“[God] rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy” (Genesis 2:2-3). God created and made life abundant for six days, and on the seventh, instead of doing, he was simply being. We are called to this too.
Sabbath is a day without work. It is a day to do whatever your soul needs to do to be recharged. My Sabbath on the race is a day that looks very different than my Sabbath will look in America, simply because what is work here for me is different. In Guatemala, my true Sabbath means that I don’t leave our base. I sleep in until around 8:45, and have a slow, long morning. I read. I eat a breakfast I love- this weekend, that meant a bowl of granola and some tea. I spend time sitting with Jesus- sometimes reading the Bible, sometimes painting, sometimes watching the clouds. Maybe all three. I may watch a movie or have a good conversation with a friend. I do laundry and clean my space. I play ultimate frisbee at the base with a bunch of my squad. I help cook and eat family dinner with my team. This is my whole day. And it is beautiful.
I have learned that for me to truly be rested, I cannot be on wifi. I cannot pay to take the chicken bus and be on guard. I cannot be translating, because I am translating the other six days of the week. I can clean, because that is restful for me. I can cook, because that fills me up. Sabbath will be very personal, very different, and very intentional for every person.
Jonathan David and Melissa Helser have a podcast episode, “Living from the Sabbath”. In it, Melissa explains that we are not supposed to go hard and then crash into the weekend with exhaustion. Instead, we are supposed to be filled up from the weekend and work hard from it.
Sabbath day makes so much sense. In order to do, we need to have the energy, and this first comes from being rested and filled up.
God created man on the sixth day. And on day seven, he told man to rest with him. Man was a human being before he was a human doing.
How can you simply be a human being for a day this week? You have the time, because there is always time to take care of your soul. Do what fills you up.
I’d love to hear what Sabbath is for you in the comments!!
Love,
Cait <3
