“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”  Matthew 11:28–30

“You have made us for yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.” — St. Augustine, Confessions

“The Sabbath is an invitation to enter delight. The Sabbath, when experienced as God intended, is the best day of our lives. Sabbath is the holy time where we feast, play, dance, love, sing, pray, laugh, tell stories, read, paint, walk, and watch creation in its fullness. Few people are willing to enter the Sabbath and sanctify it, to make it holy, because a full day of delight and joy is more than most people can bear in a lifetime, let alone a week.” — Dan Allender, Sabbath

Sabbath is a day unto the Lord and a day of rest and delight. While it can look differently for some, many practice Sabbath from 5pm Friday to 5pm Saturday, which ultimately reflects a commitment of 24 hours of rest, play, worship, prayer, and delight. It’s a day, unto the Lord. And the best day.

As you look forward to planning your Sabbath, consider the work that needs to be finished in order to properly rest. We aren’t looking for perfection, just preparation. So, keeping the same example, Fridays before 5pm consider:

What food needs to be prepared?
What chores need to be done?
What is our plan for this week’s Sabbath?

For any of us to play free from fear, protected and safe, we need fences (rules) to help us. These are the rules that free us to delight and worship together. True freedom is found in healthy limits. Examples could be:

No tv or technology.
Phones are ‘docked’ and used only for necessary Sabbath delights.
No regular chores (cleaning room, cooking, laundry, etc.) But fun, life-giving projects are ok.

To then consecrate the Sabbath, that is, set it apart and make it holy, beginning at 5 pm on Friday through a moment of prayer and worship. Here are some ways you might consecrate the Sabbath:

Light two candles (symbolic for the two commands in Exodus and Deuteronomy to “remember” and “observe” the Sabbath). Invite the Spirit of Jesus to come and give your home light, joy, love, peace, and rest. Pray a blessing over the Sabbath and give thanks. The Dad could speak a blessing over the children and the mother: “May you be happy and full of joy.” “May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.” “May you find rest for your soul.” Read a Psalm, sing a song, quote a poem, or pray a liturgy to center on God. Pray: ask the Holy Spirit bring a spirit of rest over your life and lead and guide you through the next 24 hours.

Then you can consummate the Sabbath, that is, complete this holy act at 5pm on Saturday. Here are some ways you may choose to do that:

Take a slow prayer walk around the neighborhood, park, or trail.
Read a psalm.
Share a meal with family and friends.
Traditionally, the Sabbath ends by sitting on the floor, lighting a special candle, and sharing 1) the best part of your Sabbath, and 2) what you are looking forward to in the week ahead, and ending with prayers of gratitude.

Whatever you want! Read, ride bikes, do arts and crafts, eat out, grill out, play, nap, rest. The only thing we can’t do is check our phones, do homework, do chores, etc.

To "Shabbat" is to "cease". God invites us to humbly cease our work every week for a period of time. This should be space to celebrate restoration. We can delight in things we love to do, hobbies that bring us joy, and share a meal with those we love with the intention of honoring Sabbath as a gift. Sabbath points us forward to a greater day when all creation will enter the promised rest for God's people (Hebrews 4:9).