Sabbath Sunday

A Note from Pastor Nate

Hello Radiant!

It has been pretty cool to have some conversations with Amy and my kids about how we are going to spend Sabbath Sunday as a family. We want to cease from our regular rhythm and uniquely delight in the Lord. But you might be asking, “How?” I wanted to share a couple of ways that you could be preparing to spend this Sunday morning. 

The first thing I encourage you to do is to pray and plan. Don’t wait until Sunday morning to figure out how to spend the extra hour and a half. Ask the Lord what He would have you do to make much of Him this Sunday. Try to fight the temptation to fill the time with more TV, video games or even chores. Those things are not bad but we want to be intentional with this time and we want to spend this time unto the Lord. 

Here are a few suggestions for how you, depending on your stage and what the Lord has for you, could spend Sunday morning:

• Spend the morning over breakfast reflecting on how God has worked this year and how you want to grow individually or as a family.
• Sit for an hour and read God’s Word. Pick a book or section of the Bible. Perhaps look for passages on hope, rest, peace, gratitude or joy. Rather than picking up a devotional or a book about the Bible, make it a point to be in God’s Word.
• The weather should be nice so maybe you could take a walk and listen to sections of God’s Word. I really enjoy using the Dwell app or the ESV Bible app to listen to the Bible. You could also be praying for your neighbors and community as you walk.
• Spend time praying alone or as a family. Before Sunday, prepare a list of people you will commit to praying over. One idea is to text several people on Saturday and ask how you could be praying for them.
• Maybe life has been very overwhelming or hectic lately. Perhaps what the Lord has for you on Sunday is to sit quietly. Turn off all technology and sit in a quiet spot. Ask what the Lord would have you do and how He would have you respond in the stillness.
• Are you in a season with little children? Spend time praying with them or reading the Bible with them. Have them pray as well. You could work on a memory verse for the year. You could even use the Radiant Kids Core 24 videos from the first 12 verses to review what your kids have been learning at church.
• One thing my family has enjoyed over the years is taking Christmas cards we received from people, cutting out the picture of the family on the card and glueing it to a popsicle stick. We gather all of these photo sticks and put them in a jar and keep it in a visible place in our home. Then, we pray over all of the families and purpose to pray over them throughout the coming year.
• Has the Lord given you a heart to be an encourager? Spend time writing notes of encouragement and kindness to people in our faith family. Deliver them to their house and pray over their house and family when you deliver the note.
• Maybe there is someone in your small group who is alone. The Lord might be calling you to reach out to them and invite them over for breakfast this Sunday. Then, spend time praying together.
• If you are traveling on Sunday or away from home, take time in your car or the airplane to read God’s Word and pray.
• Is the Lord asking you to be more intentional with the year ahead? Spend time on Sunday morning alone or with your family evaluating your walk with the Lord and setting goals for how you can intentionally grow in the Lord this coming year.

There are so many different ways that we can make much of Jesus this Sunday. I hope these ideas are helpful. I am excited for what the Lord will do in our church because of this dedicated time spent in His Word and prayer in our homes and communities. 

May the Lord bless you richly this coming year and may He receive all of the glory. 

You are loved!

Pastor Nate