Word of the Week - Sabbath Rest
“Jesus said to them, ‘The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.’” – Mark 2:27-28
I am just returning from a week of family vacation with Amy and our daughter Saige and family (4 of our grandkids), see pics attached. We spent a week down at our place in Dauphin Island watching sunrises and sunsets and operating at a much slower pace than normal. I also had the opportunity to spend time doing one of my favorite things, fishing for speckled trout and redfish on the coast. This has been a passion of mine since I was a young boy. It was a fun and refreshing week, and even though I was active fishing, cooking, and playing with my grandkids, I feel rested and refreshed. I'm reminded how God blesses and speaks to us through Sabbath rest when we step away from our daily work.
The Sabbath is often misunderstood. Many associate it only with Jewish custom or as a rigid rule from the Old Covenant. Others reduce it to just going to church. But Jesus clearly tells us the Sabbath was made for us—a gift for our good and health.
Since God created us, He knows what we need. In Exodus 20:8–11, He models Sabbath by resting on the seventh day of creation. Observing the Sabbath affirms that God is both Creator and Sustainer. If He rested, how much more do we need it?
Taking a Sabbath is also an act of faith. If we trust God as our provider, we can rest in Him. While we are called to work diligently and with excellence (Colossians 3:23), we are not machines. God made us for fellowship with Him and with others. He wants us to be whole—spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally. Even if we love our work, we need space to recharge.
Sabbath is about starting your week from a place of rest and trust, not depletion. It’s a rhythm of pausing work to refocus on God, relationships, and renewal. While Sunday is the Sabbath for many, the actual day can vary. For example, pastors often choose another day for rest.
My Story: For years, this wasn’t easy for me. But over the last 15 years, I’ve made Sabbath a weekly priority—from 5:30 p.m. Saturday to 5:30 p.m. Sunday. I intentionally unplug from work, emails, and business tasks unless there’s an emergency. It hasn’t always been easy, especially since I love being productive, but it’s been a huge blessing. I genuinely believe this practice has fueled my health, joy, and even business success.
If you’re not currently observing Sabbath, I encourage you to try it—one 24-hour period each week. Use it to rest, worship, connect with family, enjoy God’s presence, and do things that refresh you. Take a walk, fish, play golf, have a great meal, spend quality time with loved ones, or simply be still.
Summer is also a good time of year to take an extended Sabbath (vacation) and get away from your work for a week or two. Taking time away from our work can really be a refreshing process and give us new energy and perspective.
Challenge Question:
If you are not doing so already, what would it look like for you to intentionally set aside one day each week to rest, reconnect with God, and recharge—trusting that He can do more with six days of work than you can with seven? Try it for a few weeks and see what you find!