You’re Not Bad At Sabbath-You’re A Mom

Telling moms that Sabbath is supposed to be a day of rest can feel…a little cruel. 

Rest? On a Sunday? When there are kids to wake up, feed, wrestle into church clothes, and herd out the door, only to service whisper-hissing, “We do not “poop” during the announcements?” Then it’s lunch to make, dishes to tackle, squabbles to referee, dinner to figure out, baths to give, and bedtime routines to execute. 

And that version of Sabbath assumes you weren’t up half the night nursing, leading a ministry at church, or helping kids with projects they forgot to start two weeks ago! So when Jesus told his listeners that “Sabbath was made for man,” was he literally talking about only men?

Yet Jesus’ proclamation about the Sabbath comes in response to religious leaders who had turned Sabbath into a burden - something to get right rather than a gift to receive. His point is liberating: Sabbath is meant to serve people, not the other way around. It’s about restoration, not performance.

So, yes, Sabbath is for moms, too.

But how? 

For those who may be new to Sabbath, it’s a day set aside each week to taste God’s shalom. Not achieve it. Not perfect it. Just taste it. We do that however we can - by finding small moments and gentle rhythms that help us delight in God, in creation, and in our family and neighbors. 

Rather than berating ourselves for all the ways we think we are “failing” at Sabbath, we can embrace even the smallest moment of God’s shalom with our family. 

That might look like “Cereal for Supper On Sunday,” where no one cooks and everyone helps clean up. It could be a family bike ride, or changing into pajamas the minute you get home from church, to signal that this day is different and more relaxed. It could be reading aloud from classic Christian fiction, like The Chronicles of Narnia, tossing a football at the park, or declaring a “no chores on Sunday” policy. 

Or it might simply be this: everyone spends an hour in their rooms - resting, napping, reading, or staring at the ceiling - and you call it a win. (If you have a spouse, enjoying time with them in any way that feels delightful during this time is also a win.)

The best way Kathy and Tara found to delight on the Sabbath was with friends. Watching a movie with friends, playing at the beach, and getting together to read stories about Jesus during Advent, are some of their very favorite Sabbath memories.

It doesn’t have to look perfect. Kids will still cry. You’ll still yell. And someone may need a ride to urgent care. That doesn’t mean you did it wrong. It means you’re a family. And if Jesus were standing in your kitchen, he’d probably say something like, “I see you momma. You’re doing great. And remember, your family wasn’t made for the Sabbath. Sabbath was made for your family.” 

If you’re looking for some simple, realistic ways to experience God’s goodness as a family, check out some of our favorite family Sabbath ideas here.