Last week, I had the privilege of leading a portion of my district’s clergy gathering, which was a wonderful time of fellowship, worship, learning, and celebration God’s faithfulness. I spoke on Sabbath-keeping, a life-giving discipline I’ve been practicing for the last seven years.

My wife and I will both tell you that keeping the Sabbath is the best thing we’ve ever done for our marriage. But even after seven years, I still very much feel like an amateur of this spiritual discipline. As I stood before my clergy colleagues, I was humbled in knowing that many of them have been in ministry longer than I’ve been alive. So I shared about the practice of Sabbath as a fellow sojourner on the path towards the good life that God has called us to.

But I also know that, while pastors proclaim the commands of God, we struggle to follow the 4th Commandment. I figured that many of my clergy colleagues were looking to grow in their practice of Sabbath-keeping and that some may be looking to begin keeping the Sabbath for the very first time.

It seemed to be meaningful and yield fruit, so I’m sharing with you what I shared with them.

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If information was enough to convince you to Sabbath, I would point you to the 10 Commandments and ask if you believe God still wants us to abide by them. If so, then I’d point to the numerous instances of God describing and commanding Sabbath. If information was enough to convince you to Sabbath, then that would be enough.

But I don’t think information is enough. I think what people need is inspiration.

There are many reasons to be inspired to Sabbath: for its healing power, its necessity in society, its reminder that we are not God, its role in breaking others’ unhealthy reliance on us, and the joy of delighting in God, just to name a few.

But I chose to look at one reason in particular about why we should Sabbath.

Before I share that reason, though, I want to remind you of the fourth commandment, according to Deuteronomy 5:12-15. Notice what I’ve italicized in these verses:

Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the Lord your God has commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns, so that your male and female servants may rest, as you do. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the Lord your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day.

One of the reasons we should Sabbath is because others need us to Sabbath.

While God gives us commands in Scripture for our own benefit, He also gives us these commands to benefit others as well.

Take, for example, Leviticus 23:22:

When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and for the foreigner residing among you. I am the LORD your God.

God wanted His people not to squeeze every last bit of goodness out of their fields. He wanted them to leave a little bit left so that the poor and the foreigner among them could be benefitted.

I think this verse, though having nothing to do with Sabbath, can teach us about why we should keep the Sabbath. I rewrote Leviticus 23:22 to show you what I mean:

When you work, do not work all seven days of the week or every hour of the day. Leave some time for your family and friends residing among you. I am the LORD your God.

I encouraged my colleagues to ask themselves this question, and I encourage you to do the same:

Who are you Sabbathing for?

Who needs you to stop reaping all the way to the edge of your field? Who needs you to stop being busy and productive seven days a week? Who needs you to Sabbath?

It could be your spouse, your kids, or your grandkids. It could also be your coworker, employee, or clients. Who could benefit from you keeping the Sabbath?

Check out Part 2 in which I share 5 steps to either begin or grow in your practice of Sabbath-keeping.

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