Subversive Sabbath: The Surprising Power of Rest in a Nonstop World

by A.J. Swoboda

It is important that we take an actual day a week to rest. A parallel may help: I love my wife dearly. Our weekly date night is a special, scheduled opportunity to nurture our relationship. While I love my wife every second, a weekly date night embeds that love into both of our lives. The same applies to tithing. All of my money is the Lord’s; still, I give him a portion of it. The same goes for the Sabbath. Every day is God’s day, but I actualize that reality by setting aside one day to pray and play with God. When Scripture invites us to “keep” a Sabbath—when we Sabbath-keep—we must remember that the word keep in Scripture never means hiding it away. Rather, it entails continuing in something, keeping it active, putting it into constant use. Just as love must be kept, so must the rest of God.