How God’s Remarkable Sabbaths Have Changed My Life

By Aimee Zahora

I was born and raised in a Sabbath-keeping family, which I consider a phenomenal blessing. It’s a blessing that I did not earn. Instead, by the grace of God, Sabbath-observance infiltrated my entire life. I thank God for this gift that keeps on giving! Here are a handful of reasons for how God’s remarkable Sabbaths have altered my life for the better.

I Value My Strong Family Relationships

My nuclear family consists of Sabbath-keepers. This bond that we share strengthens our family relationships. We spend time together on the Sabbath, which solidifies us. Sabbath-keeping provides our family with similar values. It encourages us to engage in meaningful discussions that strengthen and sharpen our faith. My family is strong as a direct result of honoring the Sabbath.

My Best, Most Wonderful Friends and Advocates Are Believers

I’ve met inspiring believers, who are some of my closest friends and advocates. Many of these individuals and I would have never crossed paths, except that the Sabbath brought us together.+

We often take on the attributes of the five people we surround ourselves with most frequently. When we tap into the positive energy and stability of those people, it quickly becomes evident that who we are due to the association is far greater than who we would have been without it.

Complete and Restoring Rest for All Our Needs

The complexity and stress we encounter daily are difficult to quantify. Suffice to say our regular encounters deplete us. The Sabbath is a multidimensional blessing. It offers complete rest: mentally, spiritually, emotionally and physically.

Humanly we find success in addressing these needs individually. If we get a break, perhaps we identify something that will benefit two of the needs at the same time. But, attempting to address all the needs at once generally results in diminishing returns. However, God’s Sabbaths are perfectly designed to replenish all our needs so we can return to functioning as our best selves.

The Sabbath Is the Backbone to My Spiritual DNA

Because I was raised in a Sabbath-keep family, a weekly tradition was established early-on. Friday night dinners together were a highlight. Not only did we enjoy a delicious meal with one another, but also we shared stories, laughter, and connection. We attended Sabbath services every week, not just when it was convenient or when nothing else was on the calendar. Incidentally, nothing else made it on the calendar on Saturdays because the Sabbath was the first and only priority for our family on the seventh day of the week. After Sabbath services, my dad regularly read Bible stories to my brother and me. Today, my brother carries on that custom with his two boys.

Each of these activities contributed to a habit, a Sabbath-keeping behavior that I still honor today. This way of life and pattern of living is so deeply ingrained in me. It’s part of my spiritual DNA. In short, keeping God’s remarkable Sabbaths have changed my life.

Aimee Zahora is a Sabbath and Holy Day keeping follower of The Way and blogger on topics that ignite the Spirit. She is a member of the United Church of God.

You can follow her at: https://aimhighernow.io/