Keeping the Sabbath
God's promise of rest
Greetings Prosperous Souls,
I recently came back from my 43rd anniversary trip. Dawna and I, along with three other friends, spent two weeks in French Polynesia. It was pretty nice.
My goal was to make this trip a holy time waiting on the Lord, resting in complete peace. Overall, I think I succeeded.
What did I do?
During my first week, I read Scriptures every morning. I snorkeled and read books (Treasure Island and Swiss Family Robinson). Dawna and I slept under a thin drapery of insect netting. It never fell below seventy five degrees each night.
Most sunrises and sunsets found us planted on our private dock. Above us, colorful birds swooped. Exotic fish danced in turquoise water. One octopus patrolled our dock, and a colorful eel risked one of my glances.
By the second week, my Bible-reading routine had failed. 😝 Instead, I planted myself on the beach and studied busy coral. Ships came and went. Once, a magnificent humpback whale breached and left me spellbound.
I learned to shuck, crack, and eat fresh coconut. One night, we caught fish right from our dock. In entirety, I rested well and enjoyed rambling discussions with friends. But until this writing, I couldn’t discern what God was teaching me.
What Did I Learn?
I discovered that there’s a fine line between Sabbath rest and worldly appetite (see Mark 2:27, Philippians 3:19). Holidays are holy, not meant for selfish gratification.
This doesn’t mean we can’t have fun. It signifies our focus must be on God, even when we’re in leisure. Consider this verse and its implications:
For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself. — Philippians 3:20
Another discovery I made was about my needs and wants. Typically, I categorize needs as good and wants as greedy. I define them as follows:
Needs (food, shelter, clothing)
Wants (wishes, wills, and desires)
Jesus desires us to abide in Him so that our needs and wants compact into a singular pile. As we partner with Him, these cravings become desires and find their answers in prayer. Consider the verses:
“Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.” — John 14:13
“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” — John 15:7
“In that day you will not question Me about anything. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you. Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full.” — John 16:23
What will I do differently?
Moving forward, I feel compelled to pray more and sit quietly with God. I sense my capacity (provision, protection, and identity) growing to involve both needs and wants. As I view these categories as one, I’ll ask God for the desires of my heart to be fulfilled.
Your Homework
Begin introducing Sabbath into your busy schedule. Commit one day each week for quiet repose. On these days, do as little as possible (this includes chores.) Devote time instead to the Lord and family.
The healing that comes from this act is transformational. If you need tips on how to rest, I’ve included this list of 5 Ideas for Sabbath. Use these for your next day off, or create some ideas of your own.
I’ll leave you with these words from a renowned Jewish philosopher. I hope they inspire you to implement more rest into your schedule:
The Sabbath is no time for personal anxiety or care, for any activity that might dampen the spirit of joy. The Sabbath is no time to remember sins, to confess, to repent or even to pray for relief or anything we might need. It is a day for praise, not a day for petitions. What is the Sabbath? Spirit in the form of time.
Want to go deeper into the Sabbath?
Check out Lesson 5 of my training: Prosperous Soul Online: Advanced. Discover how to rest better and reactivate hope.
Don’t miss our live meeting this week
We’re back on schedule for this Wednesday. Access the link here to log in. Bring in any questions. My free handout is available here.
God bless your Prosperous Soul,
Stephen K. De Silva
About: Stephen K. De Silva is an author, speaker, and financial mentor. From 1995 until 2017, he served as the CFO of Bethel Church, and a member of the senior leadership team. Stephen’s blend of experience, training, and gifting make him a pioneer in the subject of money. You can reach Stephen at hello@prosperoussoul.com