Observing Lent is a new thing for me (see “My Rookie Year of Observing Lent”), but the concept of observing the Sabbath is not.  I’ve been wrestling with how to make the Sabbath a day of rest, recreation, and spiritual focus for years now.  I’ve had some success in leading my family in this but am always looking for ways to enhance our Sabbath day experience.  I read an article today on cnn.com about how one group is attempting to enhance their Sabbath experience.

Reboot is a nonprofit organization aimed at reinventing the traditions and rituals of Judaism for today’s secular Jews.  This group is composed of Internet entrepreneurs, creators of award-winning television shows, community organizers and nonprofit leaders, several who say they have an addiction to their cell phones.

So, in order to reclaim the essence of the Sabbath in their lives, they pledged to observe 24 hours of freedom from their devices this past weekend – a National Day of Unplugging -  lasting from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath.

The day served as a launch for Reboot’s ongoing project, the Sabbath Manifesto, which consists of these 10 principles:

1. Avoid technology.

2. Connect with loved ones.

3. Nurture your health.

4. Get outside.

5. Avoid commerce.

6. Light candles.

7. Drink wine.

8. Eat bread.

9. Find silence.

10. Give back.

Not that I agree with the theology and practices of many who compose this group, and an obvious omission on this list is anything related to God and His Word…but this list seems to me to be a good starting point for Christians who want to reclaim the essence of the Sabbath as well.

What could be better than one day each week that begins with worship, consists of prayer, time with loved ones, and a period of silence (aka a nap), and then ends with candles, bread and wine?  Sounds like the kind of Sabbath I’d like to reclaim!