God stopped to rest, but He wasn’t “tired” after his creation labors. He paused to absorb it all. His vast creation was so magnificent, so exquisite, so beyond human understanding—truly worthy of a day of honor. Sabbath: A Gift of Time is a glimpse into the miracle God called Shabbat, and it stands as a testimony that God continues to offer dry and weary souls a refreshing fountain, for those who will take the time to drink of Sabbath rest.

My first Erev Shabbat (Sabbath Evening) experience occurred in Israel when I was in my early 20s. That evening was like a shaft of light piercing through a dark cloud with a beauty that captivated my heart. As we walked into Kibbutz Einat’s dining room with the local Israelis, candles flickered on tables covered with white cloths. Many of the women wore simple skirts and blouses, and the men were dressed in jeans and white shirts. The atmosphere rang of celebration, and the aroma of baked chicken and onion gravy filled the dining room.

As a non-Jew, I experienced a deep sense of belonging and longing at the same time. I had stumbled upon a missing puzzle piece in life, the order of which began to answer unexplained questions that had nagged me about the life-in-the-fast-lane pace which had enslaved me.

On that Sabbath twilight—just one special evening in an ordinary week—all the circumstances of my life paled compared to the soothing refuge of time that this experience offered. My body let go of its strain. My soul let go of its worry. My heart let go of its care and settled into peace; the kind of tranquility that God promises to those who eat of the fruit of weekly rest.

I relished the sense of peace that I felt during that delightful evening meal; it was as if God had given me a sanctuary, a clear break from the workaday world. The Sabbath carried me through the quiet calm of a relaxing next day and prepared me for the upcoming week. And in a real way, it equipped me for my life’s calling.

Since that time, my family has enjoyed many such days of Sabbath peace and respite. Some experiences took place in crude and unrefined places, while others have been in luxury and opulence. I have vivid memories of cold Erev Shabbat meals in Odessa, Ukraine, where our teeth chattered as we lifted our glasses to bless the God of Israel. Our hearts flooded with joy as we ushered in the hallowed evening in an austere Ukrainian home with no heat and little food, and we sensed God’s eternal purpose. Once we observed the Sabbath in a six-star hotel in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, which was in stark contrast to the abject poverty on the streets outside.

We have celebrated in countries all over the world with people of all backgrounds. And in each place, no matter the physical surroundings, a spirit of love, brotherhood, family, and harmony have greeted us. Those early impressions of keeping the Sabbath have never left me and continue to enrich my life as I strive to follow hard after God by setting aside a day especially for Him.

When we first began to keep the Sabbath in earnest, it was a battle. Life’s demands drove us hard and fast, with no time to slow down, much less pause and rejuvenate. At first, we swallowed Sabbath observance like medicine; like a bitter pill that was good for us. The bitter was the discipline it took to make ourselves rest. The good was the tremendous benefit of “letting down” for a complete day. It became a joy to stop and rest.

We did not approach Sabbath-keeping legalistically by minutes, or hours, or by a definition of work. Our guidelines sprang from within—I believe from the Holy Spirit, who gave us a “sense” of what was either replenishing or draining us.

We have found great liberation in such discipline. Because we travel extensively as a couple, we may not prepare a Sabbath meal and enjoy the Sabbath liturgy every week; however, we do take time to rest wherever we are. We have discovered that resting and recreating routinely bring harmony and order to life—something we desperately need to be productive the other six days of the week.

The benefits far outweigh the inconveniences. Now we are almost “addicted” to Sabbath rest and understand why God placed it in the Commandments. The frail human form must stop to recreate to live a healthy life … to continue creating and producing … as our Creator designed us to do.

The offering of Sabbath peace that comes from the one true God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob still draws Jewish people and Christians today, from all nations. There’s a renewed desire to learn the Sabbath’s ancient remedies. Discover its restorative power and apply it to your hectic lifestyles. The Designer invites you to stop, along with Him, to enjoy life by resting and recreating yourself.

Copyright © 2018 by Bonnie Saul Wilks