Customers have been writing rave reviews about a small restaurant called Burger My Way, which is connected to a gas station off Highway 101 in Northern California. Apparently, this busy fast food spot makes burgers just the way you like them.

Having food made your way isn’t a new concept, of course. Sub sandwiches have been sold with the same draw to have it your way. And Frank Sinatra made the song “My Way” a hit as fans connected to the lyrics, “I did it my way.”

Have you noticed how many people seem to be finding the Sabbath for the first time? In the hectic rush of life, it’s a delight to see a growing number of Christians and others believe we should stop and enjoy the Sabbath. Yet this discovery comes with a questionable twist—the idea to “do Sabbath” in whatever way suits our needs. “Just do your best” and “carve out time for rest,” says one commentator wary about getting caught up in the “legalities” of the Sabbath. Another suggests, “We need not even schedule an entire day each week. Sabbath time can be an afternoon, an hour, a walk.”

It’s true that the “Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27). There is no doubt that Pharisees made the Sabbath a burden by creating unnecessary rules that Jesus spoke against. But could it be that we’re making the Sabbath a mere luxury commodity, a product that we choose to our liking instead of a solid, proven method of connecting with God and family?

True Sabbath-keeping honors God, who gave us the Sabbath to be an intrinsic weekly blessing. It is not a day of legalistic restrictions to make our lives miserable, but it’s equally not a day to focus on our selfish desires (Isaiah 58:13). Jesus’ example showed that He not only worshiped on the Sabbath, He brought healing to others.

In the end, while there are lots of good ideas to be found in books and articles on re-discovering Sabbath, let us not forget that our primary motive should not be to “do Sabbath my way,” but rather to turn our attention to the One who gave us this day to connect with Him.

Is Obedience Legalism?
For a deeper look into keeping God’s law, check out our free Bible study guide called “Is Obedience Legalism?”