Joy in The Sabbath

We put things aside and find rest, worship and also coming before God every 7 days. But what about JOY? A joy about the gift we have every week. As for many people Sabbath as a kid seems to last forever and restrictive as to what you could and couldn’t do on that day. But as an adult it is a blessing, a time to reset and yes joy to put the busyness of life aside and truly spend time with the Creator.

Many Christians have experienced Sabbath as a day of restrictions rather than celebration, where “if something was fun it was automatically disqualified as a Sabbath activity.” Joy in the Sabbath – Spectrum Magazine This legalistic approach often transforms what should be joyful into mere habit or obligation.

However, there’s a transformative shift when we learn from Jewish Sabbath traditions. One writer discovered joy after hearing about “how the Jews look forward to the Sabbath each week, how the day is filled with festivity and community,” which filled her “with a longing to feel that way about Sabbath.” Joy in the Sabbath – Spectrum Magazine This anticipation and preparation, beginning before sunset on Friday with candle lighting and blessings, creates an atmosphere of welcome and celebration.

The Sabbath represents more than rest from work. It’s a day that can be full of joy where we can seek God and worship our creator. This joy comes from a fundamental reorientation of our focus.

Psalm 92, “For you, Lord, have made me glad through your work.” The Sabbath becomes a time to shift our perspective and from our labors to God’s magnificent creation and character – naturally produces gladness and wonder.

The Sabbath was also given to us by God as a day for worshipping God with his people and God wanting community with us. The communal aspect of worship amplifies individual joy through shared experience and mutual encouragement.

In being followers of Jesus Christ we discover that faithful Sabbath observance creates a feeling of peace and joy that extended beyond ourselves, eventually leading a circle of “family” that becomes larger and larger every year.

The whole point of Sabbath is joy in what God has done and continuing to do for us. This joy manifests in practical ways: stopping to appreciate God’s creation, worshipping, and celebrating with others. You can create for yourself and family special traditions, like playing worship music and praying together, having a special meal, inviting guests over to enjoy the Sabbath hours together.

The Scripture promises that “if we keep the Sabbath day with thanksgiving and cheerful hearts, we will be full of joy.” This isn’t superficial happiness but a deep satisfaction that comes from aligning ourselves with God’s rhythms and purposes.

The Sabbath serves as a foretaste of the Heaven and the New Earth, pointing toward a time when the redeemed “shall obtain joy and gladness and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.”

The key to finding joy in Sabbath worship lies in moving beyond mere rule-keeping to genuine relationship with God. Rather than “just another rule to keep,” the Sabbath becomes an opportunity God is providing to enjoy him more. When approached with this perspective, Sabbath worship becomes a weekly celebration of God’s goodness, grace, and presence in our lives.