Confessions of a Recovering “Restless” Entrepreneur

Welcome to the club!

I have been a Christian for more than 50 years,1 and have been a missional enterprise leader for much of that time, but until about four years ago I had never given sabbath-keeping any serious thought. Sabbath practices for me were simply going to church on Sunday morning and taking Sunday afternoon off. End of discussion.

Then, through the promptings of the Holy Spirit, and the example and challenge of several Christian friends and coworkers, I began to study, pray about, and explore the rhythms of Sabbath-keeping. My intention, first and foremost, was to rethink my own all-too-casual approach to sabbath-keeping.

In my study, I came across many definitions of the words Sabbath and sabbath-keeping. I have come to see that Sabbath is like a gem with many facets, each showing a different aspect of beauty from a different perspective. Take a minute to meditate on these “facets” of Sabbath-rest:

• Sabbath as orientation – Sabbath practices help us orient our lives to the True North of the Kingdom. “It is a perspective, an orientation . . . a Sabbath heart, not just a Sabbath day.”2
• Sabbath as invitation – Sabbath as a time to open our hands, hearts, and minds to receive all that Christ is offering to us at this moment. “Lord, you have said to come. Here I am with all my cares and concerns.”
• Sabbath as celebration – Sabbath practices are a time of worship and celebration of all that we are and have in Christ.
• Sabbath as remembrance – Sabbath habits help us to worship and remember all that Christ has done for us and to worship him with thanksgiving for all we have been given.
• Sabbath as paying attention – Sabbath-keeping causes us to be mindful, to be present with the Lord, and to be asking “Lord, what do you want to say to me at this time?” “Lord, what do I need to hear from you today?”
• Sabbath as God-centered rest – Sabbath practices are practices of rest, of time off the wheel, but at the same time, they are focusing our attention on our relationship with Christ. “Believers in Jesus, whether or not you honor a holy day, must define Sabbath primarily as resting in Jesus. Anyone can take a day off. We have the privilege of experiencing the incarnation of Sabbath. Let’s not miss it.”3
• Sabbath as a time to slow down – Everything is more dangerous at high speed. We need to slow down and catch our breath. “Sabbath-keeping honors the body’s need for rest, the spirit’s need for replenishment, and the soul’s need to delight itself in God for God’s own sake”.4
• Sabbath as gift – Sabbath is one of the many gifts God gives us to experience and deepen our relationship with Him. “Sabbath is God’s gift of repetitive and regular rest. It is given for our delight and communion with God . . . Time for being in the midst of a life of doing.”5

Even if we are convinced of the beauty and importance of Sabbath, the practice of it may remain elusive, especially as business leaders who are carrying significant responsibilities. However, if the idea or the challenge of sabbath-rest is of any interest to you, then continue to journey with us and other M3 Weekly readers as we consider the challenge of sabbath-keeping over the next few weeks.

Verse of the Week:

‘Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?’ Mark 3:4

Pastor and author A.J. Swoboda says that “Sabbath is, for Jesus, about doing good and not evil, saving life, not killing.”6 Let’s rejoice in the life-giving nature of Sabbath.