Interfaith "Sabbath": Day of Rest Guide
If you’ve been following along this year, ReNew York has been studying a different attribute of God’s creativity each month. This is because the Judeo-Christian God introduces himself as an Artist and Creator in our Bible, which means there’s fascinating things to learn when we follow his example! Together, we’re trying out different practices to see how our creativity could be transformed.
This month we’re studying the idea that God Creates with Deliberate Restraint. That means he creates in stages (even though he could make everything all at once) and that he rests at the end. This idea of “rest” or “stopping” is a translation of the word “Sabbath.”
Sabbath is mentioned throughout our Bible. But the passage most relevant to our guide is Exodus 20:8-11, which clearly states that the day of rest is for everyone – regardless of culture, religion, status, or even species!
“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 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 animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.”
The word “holy” translates to “set apart.” In other words, if we spend most of our weeks surviving and achieving, what would one day of stopping and doing things completely different look like?
Not only should we stop work related to our paid jobs – we need to stop chores too! Even the servants and animals rested; no cleaning or cooking or carting things allowed!
But stopping everything requires a preparation day. This is a phenomenon that still happens in religious countries; the Muslim holy day is Friday and the Jewish holy day is Saturday, so the prior day is spent in preparation. They clean, shop, and cook so that no work is done on their rest day.
Christians often rest on Sundays because it’s referred to as the “Lord’s Day.” If you’re a Christian, Sunday is a great starting point. If you’re not, you can pick a different day as long as it’s “set apart” and special.
Preparation Day
Make a “To Do List”. What are some things you have to accomplish before your Sabbath? List anything related to your job, like emails; list any housework that causes stress, like errands, paying bills, or laundry. Be sure to finish some light cleaning, just so your house can feel peaceful.
Whatever you don’t finish can be set aside for the following week. Trust that you will have time.
Don’t plan anything for tomorrow, and at the end of your prep day, don’t set an alarm for waking up. Sabbath hours should be open and unhurried. Sleep tight, and we’ll see you then!
Sabbath “Stop” Day
Many books have been written on the topic; we don’t want to claim a comprehensive study. But based on our own experiences and studies, we’ve summarized key ideas and paired them with practices for you to try out today. They are…
Receiving/Giving Thanks
Celebration
Community
Liberation
Practice 1: Receiving/Giving Thanks
Genesis 1:31 “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.” God doesn’t stop working because he’s tired; he stops working because he’s satisfied. From sun to birds to trees to us, everything he made was deemed “good!”
As creatives, our work feels never-ending. There’s always more we feel we “could” do to edit our work or promote our projects. But today, we aren’t working or imagining all the work that could be done; instead, we are appreciating the creation of our bodies, which we’ve been given. We’re going to take a deep breath, stay present, and engage all our senses to enjoy our bodies and receive other everyday gifts in front of us.
Your first challenge is to do something that engages your bodily senses. Slow down to take it in. Leave your phone in another room for an hour, and then choose one of the following…
Light a candle and take deep breaths
Do some stretches or take a long shower
Go for a walk and feel the rhythm, listen to the birds, and feel the cold/warmth
Eat a meal slowly; taste every flavor
Turn on some music and sing along
Practice 2: Celebration
Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” Mark 2:27
When we’re constantly working to achieve, we can mistake productivity for self-worth. Sabbath is a day to be unnecessary, superfluous…even extravagant! It reminds us that we are more than what we do. So take some time to reflect on yourself beyond necessity, and do some unnecessary things! Some examples are…
Writing down what you like about yourself as a person
Reflect on the love, connection, and friendships in your life
Put on a special occasion outfit
Order a special occasion food or drink
Buy yourself $5 flowers at the grocery store
Make art that’s not related to your craft–for pure fun! If you’re a painter, you could write a poem. If you’re a writer, you can play with playdoh.
Any hobby you wish you had more time for!
Practice 3: Community
All working adults (and especially creatives) compare and compete with others. There will always be someone who seems more skilled or makes more money. But Sabbath is the great equalizer; we all need rest.
When we’re too busy, people around us might feel like threats or obstacles–so on the Sabbath, we resist this impulse by practicing neighborliness. In Leviticus 23:3, it says that the day of rest is a “sacred assembly.” If you have a roommate, friend, or family member, explain your “stop” day and ask if they want to spend part of the day with you being slow, present, and celebratory. You can invite them to join you in one of the activities listed above–or anything else you’ve been wanting to do.
Sit and read together
Go out and grab a meal; pick somewhere you don’t have to take the train to
Take a walk together
Sit on the couch and talk about your past few days
Text/call someone and catch up
Play a virtual game together
Try out a new art form together
Practice 4: Liberation
The Exodus passage we began with reminds us that the Sabbath excludes no one–even foreigners, non-religious folks, servants, and animals are meant to rest together. We may not have servants or farm animals anymore, but providing relief and justice to others should still be a part of your “stop” day.
This includes yourself! If you’ve noticed there are anxiety loops your brain gets stuck in, or certain addictive tendencies, make this a day of liberation for all.
Volunteer at church
Compost or recycle
Donate to a charity
Refuse to critique yourself
Don’t perform for approval
Log off social media, commit to not smoking, avoid shopping–whatever you gets you in a sticky headspace
If you’re walking to a restaurant today and a stranger asks you for food or a drink, buy them a food or a drink
If your friends who are “easy to hangout with” aren’t free, you might consider connecting with someone even if they feel “more draining”
Amos 8:4-6 condemns people who waited for the Sabbath to end in order to “trample the needy.” God was not satisfied with their day of rest actions when their hearts were still greedy. So let us be open-hearted and open-handed today!
Conclusion
What a day! Take time to check-in with yourself. Write in a journal or ask a friend to chat with you.
When you considered stopping for one day, what fears and obstacles came up?
How did you feel by the end of the day?
What’s something you want to try next time?
Who can you invite to join with you in the future?
As a ministry, we practice Sabbath every week. It protects us from burnout and maintains our longevity. We hope you experienced a transformational day that you get to do all over again…and again, and again!
