Christmas Every Week
If I were less honest and more spiritual I would say that my favorite holiday is Easter since it commemorates the central event of the Christian faith, the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. Although I don’t begin to celebrate until the day after Thanksgiving, disqualifying me from being considered a “superfan,” Christmas is my favorite holiday each year. I love the sights, sounds, aromas, parties, traditions, etc. of the Holiday season. That is why a quote my wife, Shannon found in one of the many resources we have been reading recently piqued my interest and helped transform the way our family approaches the Sabbath.
The quote is from John Mark Comer’s book, The Relentless Elimination of Hurry, where he declares, “It [Sabbath] is like a less stressful Christmas every week.” That statement was revolutionary in our thinking. With it, we recognized that the Sabbath is less of an obligation to keep and more of an invitation to receive, and we can do that, “every week.” What makes it “less stressful,” is that there aren’t gifts to purchase and wrap, decorations to hang, family to entertain, etc., but the slow pace of Christmas day when the purchasing is done and the world seems to take a deep breath is enjoyed.
In the same way that you’ve likely never enjoyed a healthy meal that wasn’t prepared in advance, and you’ve likely never enjoyed a healthy Christmas day for which you didn’t prepare, you will likely not joyfully receive a Sabbath for which you haven’t prepared. Followers of Jesus knew this, which is why they had a day of Preparation (Matt. 27:62, Mark 15:42, Luke 23:54, John 19:14). Since Sabbath is new for many of us, we need to consider how we might prepare. I recommend the following preparations that align with the four elements included in Peter Scazzero’s book, Emotionally Healthy Spirituality; namely, 1. Stop, 2. Rest, 3. Contemplate, 4. Delight.
Preparing to Stop
The call to stop may require the most preparation. It requires planning to block out time to stop work and projects. We include a starting line and a finish line for our Sabbath. The starting line is at dinnertime (usually 6pm) on Friday evening and we open it with the lighting of a candle and prayer. The finish line is just before dinnertime (usually 5:45pm) on Saturday and we end it with a review of the Sabbath and a simple time of prayer.
In order to effectively stop on time, we need to make meal preparations and do our shopping before 6:00 arrives. Since Friday is my day to work around the house, it also involves the projects I will do that day. Therefore I consider the following:
A clear start time to ensure I arrive at a natural stopping point in order to stop even if the project isn’t complete. In other words, don’t get started too late.
Prioritize your projects so that you don’t spend too much time on those things that are less important.
Eliminate multitasking to effectively complete steps that allow you stop on time.
Do not be afraid to walk away from a project that is unfinished, unless of course it creates a safety hazard.
Preparing to Rest
In order to rest, I’ve found that I have to eliminate a few things that distract me from rest and put me in a mode of “striving.” The first is my phone and smartwatch. At the beginning of our Sabbath, I put them away and out of reach. You’d be amazed at how much better you feel when you rest from various forms of media (especially news and social media). Another consideration is my environment. I have a difficult time being at ease in a room full of clutter. Taking the time to straighten at least those rooms in which our family will be resting helps make it a more restful experience. Interestingly, another consideration for rest is clothing. Never underestimate the power of the proper attire. I have a pair of sweatpants that I affectionately referred to as my, “Sabbath fats.“ The aim here is to resist the urge to be striving after something during Sabbath.
Preparing to Contemplate
Preparation for contemplation will require some attention to your behavior throughout the week. I’ve found that contemplation is most effective when it is spurred on by good questions. One of the questions Shannon and I ask on a weekly basis include, “What are you noticing (about yourself, about God, about us, and about the kids)?“ We also consider the questions, “How do you feel about an event from the past week or the upcoming week?” You’ll want to consider time for solitude and silence to have the margins to ask questions about what you have learned.
Preparing to Delight
It is far too common for Christian people to consider anything that might be enjoyable to be sinful. Desire is a good thing designed by God as a drive toward goodness and righteousness. While desire can be used in sinful ways, that is not always the case. Consider those hobbies that you find enjoyable. Maybe it is going for a run, taking a hike, listening to music, reading a book, napping in a hammock, etc. in order to prepare to delight, you should take inventory of your interests and hobbies. If you have none, start some. If you have them, enjoy them. For us, we have a lot of hobbies and interests including indulging in good food and drink. One great thing about Sabbath is that it has become a day to enjoy without guilt and allows food delicacies we enjoy to become treats instead of staples.
Sabbath is a gift that can be received like Christmas each week. The stress is eased when we take time to prepare for it. What preparations will you make for your weekly Sabbath?
Additional Resources
The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, by John Mark Comer
Garden City: Work, Rest, and the Art of Being Human, by John Mark Comer
The Rest of God, by Mark Buchanan
Reset: Living a Grace-Paced Life in a Burnout Culture, by David Murray (I highly recommend the audible version to hear the Scottish author read it to you).
Refresh: Embracing a Grace-Paced Life in a World of Endless Demands, by Shona Murray.
Submitted by: Kurt Hannah