Savoring the Sacred
Discovering rest, feast, and delight in the practice of Sabbath and Communion
Our world never stops moving. There seems to be a non stop pace that our society keeps and busyness has become a mark of success. Ask most people how they’re doing and the canned response becomes “I’ve been so busy” or “it’s been crazy” in exchange for the antiquated response; “fine”.
Knowing this, it’s crucial to pause and savor the sacred moments that nurture our souls. I invite you to explore, maybe for the first time, or perhaps a faithful return to the practices of Sabbath and Communion.
As you do, my hope is that you will uncover how these spiritual practices help us rest, feast, and delight in the presence and provision of God and subsequently eliminate from your life the hurried, over celebrated fast pace most people are dying1 to keep.
Rest: A Divine Invitation to Recharge
Sabbath is a divine gift, offering us a day set apart for rest and rejuvenation. In Exodus 20:8, we read, "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy." This invitation to cease our daily routines and immerse ourselves in God’s presence allows for both physical and spiritual renewal. How willingly we respond to this invitation determines how well we fully realize the gift of rest.
In Genesis 2:2-3 (ESV), we witness our Creator modeling rest: "And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day." God created the Sabbath, establishing it as a holy day, inviting us into a rhythm of rest that reflects His very nature.
“The Sabbath is designed by God as a day to give yourself fully to delight in God’s world, in your life in it, and ultimately in God himself.” —John Mark Comer, Practicing the Way
As we observe the Sabbath, we create space to reflect, recharge, and reconnect with our Creator, savoring the sacred in our everyday lives. It is not simply a ritual2 to adhere to it is a refreshing to revel in.
“Productivity is no sin, but when it comes to the sacred, God commands us to proceed with caution.” —Francis Chan, Letters to the Church
Feast: Remembering Jesus' Unmatched Love
Recovering from our daily rhythms through an intentional commitment to rest, we can also make space to embrace the significance of Communion—a sacred feast that brings us together in remembrance of Jesus' sacrifice.
The act of sharing a meal represents unity with God and each other, transforming how we view both relationships and our faith. In Luke 22:19, Jesus shares a meal with His disciples, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” This act is a powerful reminder of His love and the importance of communal feasting.
This breaking of bread together was a regularly occurring instance as described in several places in the Bible.3 He was taking something that was common and reminding us to make it sacred. In my life, I intentionally prioritize my life around things that are Holy so that eventually I see all things as Holy. The mundane no longer seems mundane, instead, I see all things as set apart and Sacred4.
We are asked to take communion together as it is presented in the Eucharist5 and remember this original feast Jesus shared with His disciples but it is also a call to remember Him and His sacrifices every time we gather with those closest to us as we share each meal.
It is a call to make the everyday moments of our life sacred by savoring our meals and by making memories every time we get together.
Through the act of Communion6, we celebrate His love and sacrifice, while savoring the richness of our relationship with Him and each other.
Delight: The Joy of Embracing God’s Presence
The themes of Sabbath and Communion culminate in a beautiful call to DELIGHT in God. In Psalm 37:4, we are encouraged to "Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart." These sacred practices allow us to celebrate the joy of being in relationship with Him and to embrace His many blessings. We gain confidence in Him as our source for our desires and that He will hear7 us in everything that we ask of Him.
In Nehemiah 8:10 (ESV), we find an invitation to joy: “Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”
Joy is not a fleeting emotion but a spiritual strength that flows from God's presence and sustains us through every season. The joy of the Lord is our strength, and is a reminder for us to delight in the sacred moments that reflect His love and provision.
Savoring Every Sacred Moment
As we practice Sabbath and participate in Communion, we exchange our busyness and hurry for a transformative rhythm of rest, feast, and delight. These sacred moments remind us to fully experience God’s presence, which cultivates a deeper connection with God and our community.
We are encouraged to let nothing be passed over as mundane or unimportant. Time is our greatest asset and unlike others assets like money we can’t borrow against our future for use today, or store up time today to be used at a later date. It all gets spent upon the things we choose.
There are certainly things that occupy our time that are essential and unchangeable but there are a lot of other things we have placed at a high priority that may need a demotion so we can make room for the things that really matter.
Let us embrace and savor the sacred moments, and find joy in the divine invitation8 to rest and rejoice in God’s goodness.
“The anxiety and chronic stress that come from a frantic, always-on lifestyle and the belief that you’re chronically short on time can result in high blood pressure, headaches, and insomnia. High blood pressure and symptoms of anxiety and depression (commonly referred to as psychological distress) are known risk factors for cardiovascular disease and even death. A large meta study found that psychological distress alone increased risk of mortality from any cause — and the higher the psychological distress, the higher the risk of death, even after adjusting for factors such as age, body mass index, smoking, physical activity, and alcohol consumption.”
—Wiens, K. (2025) The insidious effects of hurrying, Harvard Business Review. Available at: https://hbr.org/2025/01/the-insidious-effects-of-hurrying (Accessed: 29 June 2025).
Mark 2:23–28
23 rOne Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and as they made theirway, his disciples sbegan to pluck heads of grain. 24 And the Pharisees weresaying to him, “Look, twhy are they doing uwhat is not lawful on the Sabbath?”25 And he said to them, v“Have you never read w what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: 26 how he entered the house of God, in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate ythe bread of thePresence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?” 27 And he said to them, z“The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is lord even of theSabbath.”
Luke 5:30–32
[30] And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” [31] And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. [32] I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” (ESV)
John 21:9-13
9 When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” 11 So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of largefish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, p“Come and qhave breakfast.” Now rnone of the disciples dared askhim, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came and stook the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. (ESV)
1 Corinthians 10:31
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
The Eucharist is a central sacrament in Christianity, particularly in Catholicism, and is also known as the Holy Communion, the Mass, or the Lord's Supper. It involves the consecration of bread and wine into the body and blood of Jesus Christ, symbolizing the sacrifice of Christ and his presence. The Eucharist is a memorial of the Last Supper, where Jesus shared bread and wine with his apostles, promising that they would be his body and blood.
One definition of ‘Communion” is “the sharing or exchanging of intimate thoughts and feelings, especially when the exchange is on a mental or spiritual level.”
—https://languages.oup.com/google-dictionary-en/
1 John 5:14-15
14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.
Psalm 34:8
[8] Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!