What Is “Sabbath Dinner”

Every Saturday night our family has a Sabbath Dinner. Our entire family sits down at a semi-formally set table, a specially cooked dinner, candle light, and wine. We toast and pray and eat and laugh and sing and read a Psalm.

Why “Sabbath”?

Our Sabbath dinner is based on the fact that God rested on the seventh day, after He finished the work of creating the universe, and also on the fourth commandment that tells us to remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy in Exodus 20:8-11. We celebrate it on Saturday night to prepare our hearts for worship on Sunday mornings and to celebrate the culmination of the week of work that the Lord has blessed us with.

The word “Sabbath” is the Hebrew word for “rest.” Rest is given to us as a gift. A time to refresh our minds and spirits. A time to trust God to care for us and His creation. This article was some inspiration for the beginning of our tradition.

Why We Celebrate Sabbath Dinner

In a world full of distraction and busyness it is easy to let intentionality slide. The days and weeks go so quickly that the years fly by, almost without our notice. Over a year ago, my husband and I were convicted to begin the tradition of Sabbath Dinner with our kids. We wanted to make it special enough that they would look forward to it every week, and that it would be a tradition that they couldn’t imagine giving up for the allure of worldly pleasures. So, we just started. I planned a special dinner. My daughter set a lovely table. We bought wine (we are not typically wine drinkers!), I bought some cheap wine glasses and some “fancy” glasses for the kids. We bought brass candlesticks from the thrift store and put them on the table. At first it felt odd and too fancy. But special, because it was intentional.

And guess what! We loved it so much that we’ve been doing it for over a year of Saturdays. We do miss a week occasionally, due to sports or work, but we just pick back up as soon as possible. And the kids look forward to it every week. They choose to be home on Saturday nights, so they don’t miss it.  It truly is our family tradition that we can’t imagine leaving out of our lives. The kids tell me regularly that they’ll keep coming home for Sabbath Dinner even when they move out.

How We Celebrate

I don’t think there is any right or wrong way to celebrate Sabbath Dinner. Your family is not exactly like mine, and what works for us, may not work for you. But I want to share our Sabbath Dinner routine with you and maybe it will inspire you to begin the tradition of Sabbath Dinner with your family.

I start the day by cleaning the house and making sure there is a feeling of celebration in the atmosphere. I don’t deep clean, but pick up all the clutter, sweep and mop and dust. Things you would do if company were coming for dinner.

I usually plan a special meal. Something that takes a little more time and preparation than the normal weekday meals. It almost always includes bread of some kind. We buy wine and sparkling juice for the kids.

I cook and prepare the meal. Occasionally the kids will lend a hand, but I try to shoulder the bulk of the work in an effort to serve them.

My daughter sets the table. She assembles a centerpiece, usually some fresh flowers or stems that she’s cut and put in a vase. She sets out candles and irons cloth napkins. It is a wonderful way for her to be creative in a domestic way, and she loves it.

When everything is prepared, we sit down and celebrate. We toast and pray, pass the bread, fill our plates and eat! We don’t try to direct the conversation, we just let the kids discuss whatever is on their minds. Sometimes it’s serious, most times it’s lighthearted. But it’s always a blessing.

When we finish eating, we sing a hymn and the Doxology. My husband reads a Psalm. And that’s it. The kids wash the dishes and put away the food.

You Should Start

Now that you have an idea of a Sabbath Dinner routine, I encourage you to try to host your own Sabbath Dinner for your family. Make it special. You don’t have to start all at once. When we first started, we didn’t read a psalm or sing. We have gradually added in elements to remind us of the Lord’s provision. Try to keep it maintainable and not overwhelming. Remember that it’s a blessing and not a burden!

Let me know if you have any special Sabbath traditions in the comments! I’d love to hear from you!