I am leading a retreat tomorrow for our A Way of Life class …

And we are going to talk about the Sabbath a bit more. But we are also going to do more than just talk.

We are going to start to imagine together what a perfect Sabbath day might look like – no rules, no legalism, no fear - just ideas about what helps us rest, what helps us remember grace, what refreshes our soul, what brings us joy, and what connects us with God and others.

We are doing this practical kind of visioning exercise because I fear our questions about how Sabbath is “supposed” to be keep us from ever getting around to actually trying it.

Our concerns about what counts and what doesn’t count, and what we should do and what we shouldn’t do act like a kind of collective procrastination agreement meant to keep us all from ever having to do the hard work of stopping our ceaseless running and our frantic working …

… and just trying Sabbath.

So, what about you?

What would your perfect (or even imperfect!) Sabbath day look like?

Have you ever thought about it?

Listen to what Ruth Haley Barton writes:

“Do not make Sabbath-keeping a weighty exercise. Explore it with delight, as though you and God are learning together how to make the day special for both of you. Then, be as intentional about protecting it as you can be, but do not become rigid and legalistic about it, which ruins the spirit of the day. ‘The Sabbath was made for human beings, not human beings for the Sabbath.’”

Have you ever thought that one of the reasons God created the Sabbath is that he would like to spend uninterrupted time with you?