Resting His Way.

Hey everyone!

It's your girl Julie, and I'm back from my mini-Sabbatical. Some of you may be wondering, "Julie, how are you on Sabbatical?" Others may be wondering, "What even is a Sabbatical? Is that even legal?" And I'm here to explain my answers to your questions.

Regarding Sabbaticals, I thought it was something only professors did after they served for a specific time. However, while this is true, this is not the only instance of Sabbatical. In Genesis 2, we see the first instance of rest in the Bible. After God did His thing with Creation, He rested from all of his work. That means, even God took a break from all the stuff He was doing in His life. The other instance in the Bible that I want to highlight is found in Exodus 20. In this passage, God is giving the Israelites the Ten Commandments, which served as the guidelines and principles for this people. Within the Ten Commandments, God tells His people to "remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy." He goes on further by saying that on the Sabbath, they are not to be doing any work, because He did not do work on the Sabbath. Therefore, since we are made in His image, we are also called to have a Sabbath too.

Some of you may wonder if having a Sabbath is even possible, but I believe it is. Sabbath does not negate the fact that there is work to be done, but Sabbath takes that in mind and still makes the decision to rest because that is what we are called and even created to do. And that is what I am here to remind you of: rest is not only encouraged, but I want to even assert that it is required. And I want to let you know now that Sabbath does not only consist of sleeping. While sleeping is good for you, there is so much more to Sabbath and seasons of rest that can possibly be taken away if we sleep the day away. Trust me, I've been there, and all that was left was just feeling more tired.

So what can be included in a Sabbath? Honestly, it all depends on the individual. What do you enjoy doing that does not consist of working? For me, my Sabbath includes going on walks, journaling, and dining with Jesus at any point of my day. Others may sing, write, draw, or even dance, but it truly depends on the individual. While we are all created in the image of God, we still possess some differences, which allows us to see how God sees us as individuals, which in turn can influence how we spend our Sabbaths.

My friends, I discovered the beauty of keeping a Sabbath, and I want to encourage you to do the same. But, I want to make sure you do it out of a heart of worship, rather than a legalistic point of view. If it begins to feel like a mandate, and you no longer have the posture of just sitting with God, I'd like to invite you to check your motives behind your Sabbath.

So with that being said, I want to ask you a few questions: 1)  What areas in your life would you want to experience rest, 2) What would it look like to incorporate a Sabbath into your schedule, and 3) Why don't you take some time to sit with God and see what He has to say about rest in your life?

Like I always say, God definitely does respond, so be prepared for any way He will answer even if it is not the way you expected. So with that, I'd like to remind you that rest is a beautiful thing. While society makes us believe that we always have to be on go, we do not have to because the Father, the Creator of the entire universe, even took time to rest.

This week, I'd like to encourage you to practice a Sabbath. Before I sign off, I want to remind you of a few things: you are loved, salty, and lit.

Bye!