The Struggling Believer of Jesus
Either the Sabbath is yet approaching (on your part of the world) or is now on while you are reading this. Also, either you know so much about the Sabbath or it is still vague to you  that is, you don’t really see the significance of it, or at least not yet. Whatever the case is, the Sabbath is such a beautiful privilege. Some have been enjoying it, and I’m simply one of those that are excited to celebrate it right at this moment. Here are some of the practical benefits of the Sabbath that I enjoy the most.
Freedom from Stress
Unless you or a loved one is in a hospital or in some other critical condition, you can absolutely keep the Sabbath free from stress. As for a working individual, the Sabbath is such a haven. Especially when you are a full-time office worker, being subjected to stress from Monday to Friday would be both physically and mentally draining. You certainly would wish to be on vacation all the time. If, however, you accept the privilege of keeping the Sabbath, you will have a foretaste of heaven every single week.
You can “not” be disturbed by office work
Practically speaking, when you honor God by keeping the Sabbath, you simply can enjoy not getting disturbed by office work or business clients. You will have a good reason to keep yourself from any additional, unexpected burden the world of work is loading down on you. When you become consistent on this matter, your boss will honor your practice, and you will absolutely feel free on the Sabbath. That is already a huge plus among all the other benefits of the Sabbath.
You can forget about school assignments and exams
As a student before, I was really stressed out with school requirements, competitive as I was. When I choose to honor God by keeping the Sabbath, among the benefits I really enjoy the most is not being able to harass myself with studying and answering assignments. I didn’t have to work. I didn’t have to think about study and work. I didn’t have to plan out on my next project. I get to rest knowing God would supply me superior wisdom and enough bread for the days ahead.
God has amazing providences when you keep the Sabbath
And God is just amazing. Aside from being able to worry less, I get to enjoy, among all the other benefits of the Sabbath, experiencing deliverance from God from most of the stressors that already get my classmates almost in a “dying” mode, having been sleepless all the time, all the days of the week. On Friday nights I would get to sleep a more sound sleep, knowing I didn’t have to tire myself on temporal matters the moment I get up.
Communion with God in Nature
One recent find that I had in terms of keeping the Sabbath and making the most of it is enjoying it out on nature. As I’ve experienced, communion with God is best enjoyed in nature. It simply keeps you from getting distracted out of the hustles and bustles in city life.
Bathing in Nature is Consistent with the Essence of the Sabbath
Nature speaks a thousand words about God, its Creator. In essence, the Sabbath is a commemoration of God’s creative work. God created the world in six, literal, 24-hour days, and He rested on the seventh day. He blessed the seventh day and made it holy and gave it as a blessing to mankind. Hence, getting out in nature to commune with God on the Sabbath is simply consistent with the essence of the Sabbath itself.
Sabbath in Nature: A Reminder of God’s Magnificence
Practically, the privilege of bathing oneself in God’s handiwork reminds me of the magnificence of God. Whenever I sit at Jesus’ feet in nature every Sabbath, I am reminded of His creative power. Any problem I can think about is only too small when compared to His amazing power of speaking things into existence. If He can create all these beautiful mountains and seas in just one word, then He can grant me whatever I desire of Him so long as it is consistent with His word.
The Sabbath reminds me of the magnificent power of God. If He was able to speak things into existence, then He can solve all my practical problems His magnificent way.
The Opportunity of Thinking Less About Myself
I believe this is such a huge Sabbath benefit. By accepting God’s invitation of keeping the Sabbath holy or “set apart” for Him, I can get to think of myself less and of Jesus more.
Called to rest on Jesus to think less of “me”
In what way? Well, aside from being a commemoration of God’s creative work, the Sabbath is also intended to remind man of the redemptive work Christ has done on man’s behalf. Creation and redemption are thus both embedded in the Sabbath.
This simply reminds me that I am a created being, and having been given free will, I have made choices that are sinful. Consequently, I needed a Redeemer to save me from my sins. Since I have already accepted Jesus, the Sabbath simply tells me that no amount of work on my part can commend me to God  not even my act of keeping the Sabbath. This act is simply a fruition of resting my soul’s salvation on Jesus, that as I cannot keep myself physically alive, so can I never keep myself saved.
The Sabbath is about a resting faith in Christ, my Creator and Redeemer. As I cannot really keep my body alive by working seven days a week, so can I never save my soul by working out a way of commending my own good traits to God.
Called to rest to serve others
Aside from leading me to think more of Jesus, God, through the Sabbath, also leads me to think more of others and their salvation. The Sabbath not only gives blessings to me; it is meant to bless all the others around me, as well.
Thus, the benefits of the Sabbath include the opportunity of serving others and pointing them to God, the healer of everyone’s physical and spiritual maladies. By being called to think of others, I can sweetly leave all of my burdens to God and begin to share His compassionate heart to those who need to feel His love the most.
The Practical Benefits of the Sabbath Make Me Long for Heaven and Jesus More
While the Sabbath benefits me in terms of my needs as a physical being, it ultimately leads me to long for heaven and especially Jesus more. As each Saturday sunset approaches, I would often wish for an extension. Most of the time, I would wish the Sabbath would go on forever. I had this wish since I was a student.
As a student before, I really was into the competition. I later realized that while I was chained to risk, I was called to rest. When God revealed Himself more clearly to me by showing me my defects and hence my dire need of Him, I realized I needed to experience the Sabbath in a more meaningful way. I realized its true importance. I realized it was set apart not to be a burden, but to lead me closer to my Heavenly Father and my Elder Brother Jesus.
You Might Want to Enjoy the Benefits of the Sabbath for Yourself
Sure, you can. As I’ve first mentioned, you either know a lot about the Sabbath already, or you only know a few things about it. Either way, you can enjoy the Sabbath better by trying to keep it while being bathed in nature with God and while in service to others.
A Sweet Invitation
I invite you on behalf of Jesus to experience both the practical and the spiritual benefits of the Sabbath. Simply put down anything and everything that you are attending to at this hour that keeps you thinking about supplying your needs (your work) or preparing for your career (your studies).
Put down anything, too, that keeps you thinking more about vain things  those that feed you or are only gratifying yourself (entertainment). Shun yourself from secular things this time and go on meditating upon God instead.
Go grab your Bible; go out in nature. Write down the insights impressed upon you, and you’ll be surprised how much you will have learned about Jesus, and how much you will have rested your mind and body, at the same time.
Also, try spending the Sabbath afternoon visiting the sick and blessing the needy, and by Saturday sunset you’ll find more meaning to living a life that rests upon Jesus.
And that’s what the Sabbath is all about. Rest. Resting in Jesus.
Learn more about the history of the Sabbath:
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