Why I'm Still Keeping the Sabbath

You've heard why I first started keeping the Sabbath. It's been more than 11 years since then! I'm still keeping it. Here's why:

-The conviction still holds. Throughout the past decade plus, I have heard a zillion arguments for why believers don't need to honor the Sabbath. But none of these hold up under the examination of Scripture. As I continue to read and study YHWH's word, the significance of Sabbath comes up in many ways, and I still feel conviction to set apart this holy day. My faith has grown through this time of Sabbath keeping, and I'm more convicted of the importance of this than when I first started.

-I like it. I should be following the Bible's instructions whether I appreciate them or not, but I truly do enjoy and look forward to the Sabbath! It is a calming factor throughout the whole week. No matter how busy the season I find myself in is, I know I will have a break and time to rest each and every week, and I look forward to that. The time to rest and study the word is a joy, and I'm happy to be able to set aside work, chores, and other obligations on the Sabbath.

-It benefits me. I find myself overwhelmed with life far less often than I did before Sabbath keeping, even though I have more going on to balance. The mental, as well as physical, break refreshes me for the upcoming week, and I know myself to be far more productive 'working' six days a week instead of seven. My energy level is higher, I feel refreshed, inspired, and more alert mentally thanks to Sabbath keeping.

-It really is doable! Many people find this hard to believe but setting apart the Sabbath as a day of rest and not working is not too hard. It took time to learn how to rest and relax and not focus on the cares of the rest of the week, but once you know how, you know! Now that I'm used to keeping the Sabbath, it is completely natural to prepare for it and keep that day free of other commitments. My husband and I have both found jobs where we don't work on the Sabbath. Our families and friends have accepted this part of our lifestyle. I've found that the world does go on, even if I'm not participating in the same things that I used to on Saturdays.

-I can see how others who started keeping the Sabbath benefit. When I started keeping Sabbath I did so at the same time as my now-husband, my parents, and several other friends and families from our small congregation. They're still keeping Sabbath too and would tell you it is meaningful and valuable. I can see how their faith has grown through taking this tangible step of faith.

-To show others that it is possible. When I get together with people who don't keep the Sabbath, there's usually a clear theme: everyone is mind-numbingly busy and stressed to the point of tears. I hear this from friends, relatives, coworkers, and people in my community. I don't look down on anyone for not keeping the Sabbath - I didn't either for much of my life - but I do feel for those who are overwhelmed with no break in sight. I want to show others that even if you're juggling a million responsibilities and commitments, you can still partake in this incredible gift of rest and restoration from our God!

More on the Sabbath:
Sabbath in the New Testament
Tips for Resting on the Sabbath
Things I Love about the Sabbath

Six Reasons Why Believers Should Keep the Sabbath

Keeping the Sabbath day is the only one of the ten commandments that is widely ignored by believers today. But the Bible says we should be resting on the seventh day and using that as an opportunity to worship God. This instruction hasn't been done away with; we will see that New Testament believers continued on with honoring the Sabbath, even after the Messiah's death and ascension into heaven. Let's look at a few more reasons why all believers are still called to keep the Sabbath.

Reasons believers should keep the Sabbath:

1. Scripture tells us to. We could stop the list right here and call it good, because if our Creator tells us to do something then we should, plain and simple. Honoring the Sabbath day is one of the ten commandments (Exodus 20:10), as I'm sure you've heard before these are commandments, not suggestions or principles. We are accountable for our decisions, and there are consequences to choosing to honor or ignore something that Scripture says.

2. YHWH himself rested on the Sabbath. One of the first things that Scripture tells us in Genesis 2, is that YHWH rested on the seventh day. It wasn't because he didn't have anything left to do, and it wasn't because he physically needed rest. I think there is a significance here that we miss, when the Creator literally set the example for us. Genesis 2:3 says that YHWH blessed the seventh day and set it apart because that's when he rested from his work. If he did it, we should too.

3. The Messiah kept the Sabbath. The authors of the Gospels made it plain that Yahusha honored and rested on the Sabbath day. And he always spoke of it highly! Are we followers of him and his ways? 1 John 2:6 says that if we are then we should live as he did! Observing Shabbat is a practical way to do that, no matter where or when we live. We should work to follow the Messiah's example.

4. New Testament believers kept the Sabbath after the resurrection and ascension of Messiah. Those that spoke with and walked with the Messiah continued to honor this commandment, even after he ascended from the earth. These were people that were obedient to the Messiah even unto torture and death, if he had told them to stop resting on the Sabbath then I'm sure they would have. But they kept on following his example in this manner, and not one of them ever suggested they wanted that to change or that we should do things differently.

5. Because you're busy. I know many of you are thinking that you're way too busy to set aside 1/7 of the week for rest and worship. Hear this though: you're too busy, not to do this! Life will always be pulling at you from a million different directions; it's time to take a stand against that. I think every Sabbath keeper I know would agree with me when I say that I accomplish a lot more now that I keep the Sabbath. Resting one day of the week helps me to have more energy and use my time better. If I'm not willing to keep this instruction from Scripture, that holds me back from living the abundant life that he has for me...because I'm too exhausted and overwhelmed from not letting myself rest to enjoy his fullness.

6. Your soul needs this. Do you want more peace in your life? Do you find yourself aching in need of refreshment? Are you weary and burdened? Is joy hard to find? Are you struggling with your faith or with not feeling close in your relationship with the Messiah? Do you feel like there has to be more to life? Sabbath rest helps with all of that an so much more. It's time to stop believing the lie that Sabbath keeping is too hard or not for us or a burden. It is none of those things. I'm closing in on a decade of Sabbath observance and it is joy, freedom, refreshment, and peace. You owe it to yourself and your family to walk in this gift from our Creator.

Want to learn more about the Sabbath?
Here are fifteen things Scripture says about it.
This is what the Messiah taught about Shabbat.
And why I started keeping Shabbat.