Sabbath: Finding Rest, Renewal, and Delight in Our Busy Lives

Honestly, I'm just over 50 pages in and don't know how to accurately give this book a star rating. The author is a professed Christian, and the Sabbath is part of our Jewish roots, but he constantly brings in Buddhism and other faiths that are not judeo-christian at all to make the Sabbath sound like some form of New Age Christianity/Religious Relativism where people can and should do whatever they like instead of letting the Lord Jesus and His Holy Spirit guide and form their hearts with the Bible. He has referred to Merton a lot, a Catholic monk who essentially became a Buddhist later in life, and writes in ways about the Bible that makes it seem as if it's just one book among many that people can take seriously or not if they choose to. If that's what he believes then he shouldn't be a Christian minister (or a Christian at all). Given that, if you're a new Christian or one who's not well versed in Scripture then don't risk reading this book and being led astray. It's well written and can be very alluring to the untried and untested in the faith with Christ!

This book is a exploration into the concept of "Sabbath" and its importance in world religions. Muller describes Sabbath rituals in the Jewish faith and discusses scriptural references to the Sabbath (from Christian and Buddhist, as well as Jewish texts), especially those concerning why it is celebrated at all. He argues that we all need time set aside as a Sabbath for rest, happiness, and consecration. He embellishes the text with poems and stories about the Sabbath practices of friends. Many of the chapters close with a "Practice" section, in which Muller describes actions you can take to put the ideas from the chapter into practice. In an early chapter, Muller declares that all religions have some form of Sabbath. This didn't quite sound correct to me-while Muslims often gather in a mosque together for Friday noon prayers, the day is otherwise unlike a Judeo-Christian Sabbath, since there is no feeling that worshipers should refrain from work or commerce on that day. And Buddhists and Hindus certainly don't have a regular day set aside each week for religious observance and rest. But Muller goes on to explain that he is taking the term "Sabbath" to mean a time set aside from ordinary worldly pursuits, and that in a more general sense "Sabbath" need not refer to an entire day, but could be just a few minutes in which the mind is engaged in meditation, prayer or devotion. By this measure, the five daily Muslim prayers, Buddhist meditation, and Hindu pujas would all qualify as Sabbath time. Muller argues that such time is necessary to appreciate fully our capabilities as caring people. Reading this book has opened my eyes to new ways of celebrating the Sabbath. Muller argues that the most vital activity to engage in on the Sabbath is not necessarily attending church, but rather, pausing all ordinary activities to contemplate the Divine or Life itself. He notes that feeding, dressing, and escorting family members to a church service, then struggling to keep them quiet during the service is not necessarily in keeping with the intention of rest and meditation. And he describes ministers who, since they must work on Sundays, keep their own Sabbath on a different day of the week. He explains how important it is to have time alone, when one doesn't need to provide or others or even interact with them, so that one can better concentrate on devotional matters. Regardless of your faith, practicing the ideas described in this book can you help form a much stronger connection to the center of your being.

I first read this book shortly after it was published and have used its gentle wisdom many times since. This year in my church we have encouraged members of our congregation to read it and the results have been very good. Most people find that it gives them a deep sense of the meaning of Sabbath and a resolve to make some changes in their own experience of Sabbath as a day of est and renewal. I highly recommend it for personal reading or for a book club.

I read this slowly, picking it up now and then, going through one briefchapter at a time. I always found a smile on my face and a bit ofwisdom in my soul. This is an eloquent, poetic book that I wouldhighly recommend.Muller starts with some history of what the Sabbathhas meant in the Jewish and Christian religions and how it has beenpracticed through the centuries. But this is not dogmatic reading atall. The author uses the word Sabbath as a metaphor for rest in ourlives - whether it's an actual day, morning ritual, or simply a fewmoments alone during a busy day. He reminds us that there is a reasonthat this Sabbath concept has been such a strong component of life inour past, and warns us against the modern trend towards constantactivity.Chapters are filled with personal experiences, stories ofothers, poems, and suggestions for incorporating mindful rest into ourlives.I look forward to rereading this numerous times in the future.

Ghandi said, long before computers, that there is more to life than speeding through it. That is also the theme of Muller's book, a reminder that most world religions mandate a regular time of rest, to be observed religiously. As he says in the book, the only organism that survives without taking time to rest is cancer! The book is arranged as a workbook, with practical sabbath exercises at the end of each chapter. I read this early in the year, savoring the author's beautiful writing style, and I am re-reading it now, in preparation for my own sabbatical next year!

In a culture marked by workaholism and exhaustion, Wayne Muller has offered a healing and inspiring word. Having searched the wisdom of many spiritual traditions, Muller offers a thoughtful and compelling invitation to reclaim the practice of Sabbath-keeping in ways that honor the rhythm of creation and are not just legalistic rule-keeping. Muller offers practical helps for recovering the rhythm of life, as well as making connections with the theological understandings of several religious traditions. His book will be a welcome companion for all who are seeking more balance in their lives, and would be a good choice for study groups in churches or spiritual life groups.