God Created REST! Teaching your children about the Sabbath

God created this world in six days and then he did something special on the seventh day; he rested. God rested on the seventh day, not because he needed it, he rested because we need it. God gave us this day of rest so that we can take time to spend the day with him. So what can we do to REST on this special day that God created for us?

Relax

We are a generation of people who stay on the go. Whether at home or at work, there is always something to do. God wants us to relax and take time to clear our minds from all the stresses of the week. Teach the children that how to relax and reflect on all the things God has done. You may like to take your kids out in nature, sit down and look at all God’s creation. Or maybe you sit indoors and looks at pictures of things in nature.

Enjoy

God gave us the Sabbath to enjoy, not as a burden. Instead of setting a bunch of rules for everything the children cannot do, show them the fun things that they can do. There are many activities that can you can do with the children on the Sabbath. Here are some kid friendly activities to do on the Sabbath.

Sanctify

Genesis 2:3 says, “God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it.” Sanctify means to set apart or declare as holy. God wants us to make this day different than the other days. Teach your children that God wants us to make this day special. Show them what it means to worship God and what it means to be holy.

Talk

Talk to each other about God and talk to others about God. Having conversations about God will keep him in your thoughts. Have discussions with your children about who God is to them. Teach them something new about God. Help them to understand everything that God does for them. They will be able to tell others all the good things about God!

The way to develop a relationship with someone is to spend quality time with them. The Sabbath is the day God gave us to spend quality time with him. In doing so, we will teach our children how to have a close, long lasting relationship with our loving Creator.