If you’ve made it this far, thank you for following along and participating in what God has been teaching me through His Word.
In my life, the practical application of Shmita looked like spending time with friends and family in South and Southeast Asia. My goal was to prioritize resting in God and serving Him in whatever capacity makes sense. My desire was to help the poor, widow, and orphan wherever I went (see James 1:27). And my hope was to return to my life and career refreshed, with my gaze fixed on Jesus instead of the idols of career, money, and financial independence.
As I write this, I’m at the end of my time abroad. I have many thoughts to assemble and distill down, but we’ll leave that for another post, coming soon 😊
I want to conclude the bulk of my content here with action steps for you!
If you’re currently following Jesus:
Though taking this year of rest was amazing, I don’t think anyone needs to (unless, perhaps, God has called you to it, like He did for me). As we’ve seen, this was prescribed as a land sabbath called Shmita – but this command is no longer required by us, as Jesus has fulfilled the purpose of the law (for more information, see here)
However, I would recommend any Christian to start practicing the weekly Sabbath. This could look different for each person, but my personal practice (most weeks; I’m not perfect by any means, but thankfully, the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath) is to take Friday sundown to Saturday sundown as a time of rest dedicated to the Lord. These day’s activities are consecrated to God. I stop doing work with my mind, but I allow the work of my hands. In short, if it feels like work, I don’t do it. If it doesn’t feel like work, I’ll do it if I want.
Sometimes, I have an extended time of fellowship with God in the morning, followed by listening to a sermon online. Other times, I sleep in and go play Ultimate Frisbee with friends. Sabbath is a precious and highly valued time for me, and I hope to continue this Rhythm of Rest for the remainder of my life.
If you’re interested in practicing this weekly habit, explore the Bible for what God and Jesus say about the Sabbath. The Common Rule is also a good starting point. And finally, I’d love to talk with you about what the weekly Sabbath could look like in your life and walk with you in it.
If you’re not currently following Jesus:
I’d like to extend even more thanks to you. It’s an honor that you’d spend your time reading my thoughts and engaging with these words and my Sabbath year journey.
Please let me know if you have any questions! I’d love to speak more about this subject with you. I hope & pray that this is God beginning to work in your life and draw you closer to Him. Instead of pulling away, dive deeper to evaluate what this all means. Who is God? Who is Jesus? What are the implications for your life, if what the Bible says is true? What is holding you back?
Finally:
This is the end of the bulk of my content on why I decided to put a pause on my career and take a Sabbatical. I hope it was illuminating and encouraging.
As I wrap up this Sabbath year, I hope to distill down my experiences, learnings, and takeaways for you to share in. It’ll take time to process, but I’ve already begun. I hope you’ll join me in not only finishing this journey well, but starting the next season of life with vigor, vitality, and an air of serenity, fully trusting in the Lord for all things.
The Sabbath is a day for the sake of life… It is not an interlude but the climax of living.
Abraham Joshua Heschel, The Sabbath: Its Meaning for Modern Man