The Sabbath is a Delight
by Brandy Webb
I have been asked many times, “Why do you keep the Sabbath?” In the past, I would give scriptural reasons of why I keep the Sabbath, and there are a lot of scriptures to back up the Sabbath. Yet, the other day, it hit me that I do not think I ever shared how much I enjoy the Sabbath as one of my reasons to honor it. So, I want to share why, for me, the Sabbath is a delight.
One thing that comes to my mind first is that it is a day of rest. Even God rested on the seventh day at creation (Gen 2:3). I am grateful to have a day every week to stop, reflect, slow down, not feel guilty if I sleep in, let the chores go for twenty-four hours, etc… I live on a small farm and there is something that always needs to be done, and I know that if I did not keep the Sabbath, I would not set a whole day apart where I did not do some type of work.
I really believe that is why the Messiah says that the “Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mar 2:27). God and the Messiah know that human beings need a day to rest and rejuvenate themselves because we have the tendency to act like the mouse in the wheel where we just do not know how to stop being busy. The Sabbath is a day to stop being busy. It is a day to rest and reflect. It is sacred to my family and me.
Another reason is I enjoy having a day set apart. I know that we are to study every day and to constantly keep our minds in a state of prayer. But I also know that distractions happen. On the Sabbath, it just seems easier to turn the distractions off; it is as if my mind can focus more on God.
I also enjoy fellowshipping with brethren. There are a lot of Sabbaths that our fellowship continues long after services are over. It is as if we want to stretch out the Sabbath for as long as we can because it gives us a break from the world.
The main thing is, the Sabbath has never been a burden for my family and me. My whole family looks forward to Friday night when the Sabbath begins. It is a joy for us, and we are very humbled that we can take part of such a set apart and holy day.