David Hammond suggests exploring sabbath practically, joyfully and in trust of provision
This article was published in the May to August 2026 edition of Rapport magazine.
Is sabbath an Old Testament relic or a contemporary practice? It is one of the Ten Commandments, and we still take the others seriously. The word sabbath may imply prohibition, a puritanical rigid burden – far removed from joy or freedom.
But the Gospels show Jesus consistently using sabbath as a time for healing, restoration, and liberation. He reframed it as a gift, a reminder that humans flourish with trust, rest and relationship (not frantic activity).
The western search for balance
Sabbath is being rediscovered in the Western search for balance and well-being,‘I want to work to live, not live to work’.
Underneath this longing, lies a deeper anxiety – for many, work is synonymous with provision.
When 30 year-9 students were asked whether they’d prefer a high-paid job they disliked, or meaningful work with a basic salary, 27 chose the money – a common instinct.
I’m writing a book about God’s provision for our family, including how giving away our car taught us to trust him more. Provision matters. But Jesus promises life in all its fullness, which rarely comes from more income or work; hard work alone can hollow us out.
Hard work alone can hollow us out
Community, calling, and the cost of ministry
Leading Lee Abbey Devon is deeply fulfilling, with transformation, discipleship and extraordinary encounters with God. But, alongside joy, comes the cost of ministry: long hours, unsustainable pace, burnout, illness, expectations of resilience.
Perhaps the trade-off is not wealth in this life but treasures in heaven? Yet Jesus describes an easy yoke and a light burden, a rhythm grounded in grace, not exhaustion. As we prayed and reflected on this tension, we found ourselves hearing a quiet whisper from the Spirit:
‘Where does sabbath fit?’
A story of trust from Genesis to Jesus
The biblical story – from Genesis creation, through exile to Jesus – can be read as a long invitation to trust God for provision: In Eden, humanity rejects God’s way, stepping into a life of toil.
In the wilderness, Yahweh teaches Israel to trust him, through manna and sabbath.
In the promised land, sabbath years and Jubilee become central to a society shaped by mercy and trust.
When Israel refuses these rhythms, exile comes – the years corresponding to the sabbaths they neglected.
Jesus arrives, urging his followers not to worry about provision, but to abide, rest and trust.
Hebrews is even more blunt: ‘enter God’s rest’ (Heb. 4:9–11).
The Community experiments with sabbath
Our Community sought to live out the kingdom with an experiment: for several months we’ve kept a 24-hour sabbath (Sunday afternoon to Monday afternoon). Everyone is encouraged to enjoy God, one another and this beautiful place we call home.
We’re not setting rigid rules. We’re simply trusting that rest – real rest – will reshape us, that doing less might allow God to do more.
It has been joyous and challenging, a journey of faith and recalibration, trying to find a rhythm that blesses guests and Community. Fruit takes time. And we’re committed to fruit that lasts, not frantic, short-term productivity.
We pray that what we learn will become part of the gift we offer friends, visitors and guests. As we continue this journey of trust, we are grateful for your prayers.
Rev David Hammond
Warden, Lee Abbey Devon