Five Ways to Have a More Peaceful Sabbath

Shabbat shalom is translated as a wish for a peaceful Sabbath day. How can you do that? While peace in general comes from repentance and living in YHWH's love and mercy (I love Colossians 3:15 to let the peace of YHWH rule our hearts!), and finding healing for our emotional hurts and baggage, today we are talking about a special kind of peace on the Sabbath. There is an art to resting on the Sabbath, and it requires us to do things a little differently than the rest of the week. While the world around us doesn't stop, we are commanded to take a holy pause in the busyness of life. Sometimes even when we have the day off it can be easy to get swept back into the rush of things. Here are five simple ways to avoid that and to have a more peaceful Sabbath day.

Five Ways to Have a More Peaceful Sabbath:

1. Leave the mail in the box. You know what is not restful? I'd say going through the mail, opening up bills, sorting out junk mail, getting notices that you need to schedule a dentist appointment, etc. Almost every time I open up the mail it gives me something to do. Let the mail stay in the box for an extra day so that this doesn't interfere with your Sabbath peace. The same goes for email.

2.  Switch off the wifi. I probably don't need to tell you that most people are addicted to their smart phone. Picking up the phone to check the time can all too easily lead into scrolling away the next twenty minutes (or more!) of the precious day of rest. And what does browsing social media add to your life or day? Possibly frustration with someone, probably comparison of yourself to others, and maybe a to-do list of cute projects. I think the Sabbath was intended to be more restful and joyful than what our phones can offer. Switching off the phone entirely might not be a reasonable option for you, but not having wifi on can be good incentive to stay off of your phone, and be present where you are. Some doctors believe that turning off the wifi can be more restful and healthful for your body as well.

3. Find a peaceful place. By no means does the house need to be perfect in order for you rest on the Sabbath, but if resting in the midst of a mess is hard, consider where you'll spend the day. That could mean making it a point to stay out of the messy kitchen, or hanging out in the seldom-used guestroom. Spend time on the patio or relax with a hot bath. If it's nice out you could spend the Sabbath day at the lake, a nearby playground, or a park.

4. Don't cook. While I normally have a solid plan in place for Sabbath lunch, can I just say that I haven't had a dinner plan for Saturday night ever? I try to cook enough throughout the week to have leftovers and I make it a point to stock easy snacks, as I shared in this post. And while it doesn't usually make for an Instagram worthy meal it works out just fine. We eat leftovers or something that takes five minutes or less to put together (like quesadillas or salad), and it's not a hassle. There's no need to spend your Sabbath in the kitchen or to overwork yourself beforehand with making an elaborate meal. Simple foods really work out.

5. Make a list. Snuggled up on the couch, I'm cozy under a blanket and have a cup of tea ready to enjoy. I have read three verses of Scripture and then I remember something to do. I find myself rereading the same passages as I'm distracted by thoughts like: I need to order a gift for the baby shower. I should make enchiladas for dinner this week. Oh yeah, I need to return that library book. Maybe you've been there, where you are kept from engaging in rest on the Sabbath because it's hard to switch off the to-do list. Keep a pen and paper nearby, and when one of those things comes up you can write it down and be done with it. I know this doesn't sound like it should work but it really does! Once you've written it down you know that you'll remember it, so your brain isn't focused on reminding you of what you need to do. Go back to your book now!

Other ideas for Sabbath rest:
Five Ways to Honor Shabbat
20 Tips to Simplify Shabbat Prep
Encouragement for the New Shabbat Keeper
Five Things I Love About the Sabbath

Sabbath Prep and the Idol of Cleanliness

Can we talk about 'prep day' and this notion of 'getting ready for Sabbath'? 

When I first started observing the Sabbath, I think about 90% of the related internet content consisted of cleaning checklists. Long ones too: vacuum the floors, straighten up the house, take out the trash, wash the dishes, make the beds, set the table, clean the bathrooms. And don't forget about making a fancy dinner, and then tons of food for tomorrow, empty your inbox, bathe the kids, and plan a special activity. It's not surprising that much of the Hebrew community refers to Friday as prep day, because that's how long all of this takes.

There are a few problems with this system. Firstly, Scripture does not teach that this thorough cleaning is required of us for the Sabbath day. But also, keeping Sabbath is meant for all of YHWH's children, not just the retirees and the stay-at-home-mom families. When we (unintentionally or otherwise) present to others this enormous checklist of things to do before Shabbat we are telling them that if you can't juggle in this extra load of work then they can't keep the Sabbath day. That is a tragedy! When we make the Sabbath more about having a clean house than about relationship with YHWH, it becomes an idol. May he forgive us if we make having a prep day for Shabbat a requirement, because he didn't.

Friends, I know that none of you want to place a stumbling block before others or to make Sabbath keeping seem like a burden. But can you see how this pervasive mentality of Friday as a house cleaning day can be a hindrance to those that work or have other commitments before the Sabbath? I also know that many of you feel overwhelmed with getting ready for the Sabbath each week. And honestly when I would put my effort into those checklists it did not leave me with an attitude that loved the set apart day. Why are we clinging to this tradition of near impossible standards if it causes frustration and resentment with one of YHWH's commandments? What does that do to our relationship with him, or to our spirits?

Is it nice to have a clean home? Yes...but it's not a commandment, nor is it a prerequisite to having a day of rest. A clean house is nice but it should never come before our relationship with YHWH, and it shouldn't come at the cost of discouraging others from honoring the Sabbath. It really is both possible and permissible to have a day of rest, even if you don't have a day to dedicate to preparing for it. What if you just stopped to rest on the seventh day, even if the laundry wasn't done and the beds hadn't been made? What if we showed others that Shabbat keeping is doable even if you work full-time or juggle a hundred things each week?

Yes, keeping Shabbat calls for intention. But I think most of the time spent preparing should be working to keep ourselves free of other commitments on the Sabbath, not on having an immaculate house. There is no shame in eating simple foods like sandwiches, green salads, veggies with hummus, cheese and crackers, fruit, or other snack items that don't require prep work the day before. Don't forget that in Genesis 1, YHWH himself rests on the Sabbath day. Please note, he did not spend day six cleaning up his work from the rest of the week. He just rests. Give yourself and others permission to do the same. 

More on the Sabbath:
Why I'm Still Keeping the Sabbath
Tips for Resting on the Sabbath
Sabbath in the New Testament