Sabbath Was Made For Us

The Sabbath Was Made For Us

By: Heidi Argueta

As I sat down this month to write my blog entry, I had debated several topics but decided to talk about Sabbath. A few years ago I began practicing a consistent day of rest each week. I realized the importance of Sabbath because not only is it a commandment from God, but God in His wisdom knew we needed it and even modeled it for us. I also felt that if I didn’t protect and set aside a day of rest, we would never have it. Activities seem to fill up every moment of my family’s life if I’m not intentional.

The chosen day was Sunday, which has worked perfectly and still does. We have sports and church on Saturday, which leaves Sunday as a day to rest from the craziness of the week. Sometimes that means pajamas all day—tea or coffee in hand, easy Costco meals, naps, reading, or a little screen time. Other times it looks like a fun-filled family day with a hike in the mountains or biking to lunch for a sweet treat. Really, it’s whatever our minds and bodies need to reset and refresh so we can give our all for the week ahead. Today, it was finally going to a mountain slide I had wanted to take my kids to all summer, and then riding bikes together as a family.

This is not meant to be another blog that makes anyone feel bad if they are not practicing Sabbath, but rather a gentle reminder that we are not human doings—we are human beings. Yes, we are called to do all things with excellence, and we all have many responsibilities. But depending on the season we’re in, Sabbath can look different for everyone.

There is a story in the Bible where the disciples of Jesus were accused by the Pharisees, the religious leaders of the time, of breaking the Sabbath by picking heads of grain to eat. In response, Jesus reminded them of a story from the Old Testament when David and his men “broke the rules” and ate the consecrated bread because they were hungry. Jesus pointed out that David had not sinned in doing this and then stated, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.”

You may not be physically hungry, but maybe your soul and mind are craving quiet and downtime. Or perhaps you’ve been home all week and long to get out into nature. Pray about what it is you need and ask God to provide a way for that to happen. What would bring your soul rest this week?

Making Sabbath part of our weekly rhythm has been one of the best things I’ve done for my family. It is often my children’s favorite day. I like to picture it as a spring being pulled back and then released in its full power. Sabbath pulls me back to a place where I can reprioritize and trust God with a day that doesn’t need to be productive. While I can rest in Him daily, Sabbath is an intentional laying down of the things that crowd out rest and important time with Him.

Hebrews 4:9-10 "So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God; for anyone who has entered God’s rest has rested from their works, just as God did from His."