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Port of Call: Sometimes We Need More Than a Weekly Sabbath

Port of Call: Sometimes We Need More Than a Weekly Sabbath

Last updated on: July 16, 2026 at 9:52 pm by Jeff McLain

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Port of Call: Sometimes We Need More Than a Weekly Sabbath 2026-07-16T21:52:11-04:00 Jeff McLain

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Photo by Fernando Jorge on Unsplash. Port of Call: Sometimes We Need More Than a Weekly Sabbath

As I write this, our ship is slowly pulling into the port of Nassau. This is our second port of call in the Bahamas on this trip. The pink hues of the morning sunrise echo and are mirrored in the glassy, deep-blue sea below me. Ahead, the lights of the harbor quietly beckon us forward. They call us into a place of rest before another day begins. I see the land and the lights as an invitation to the many ships waiting their turn to come into port.

Watching the shoreline come into view, I couldn’t help but think that Sabbath is something like that. Sabbath is a light God places on the horizon, inviting weary people into a safe harbor. It is a reminder not only of who is in charge and our dependency on God, but the stillness we must experience to live well.

The Harbor of Sabbath

The story of Sabbath begins in creation itself. Before it was ever given as a commandment, it was first embraced by God. God rested, blessed the day, and made it holy.

Later, Israel received the Sabbath as a defining rhythm of life (Exodus 20:8–11). They were to stop. To gather. To remember. To trust that the world could continue spinning without their constant labor. This was to be a value and a way of life for them as Children of God.

Generations later, Jesus reminded His earliest hearers and us, “The Sabbath was made for people, not people for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27). Sabbath is not another burden to carry but a gift to receive. It is a part of the way of life we have been called to that we should value and steward well. It is an experience to be experienced. I think that it is one of God’s ways of blessing humanity and bringing it back into realignment.

Sometimes We Need More Than a Day

As I enter day five of this cruise, I have also been reflecting on how sometimes we need more than just a day of Sabbath. Weekly Sabbath matters. It is one of the healthiest rhythms we can cultivate. There are also seasons when our souls need more than twenty-four hours. There are seasons when we need more than forty-eight or seventy-two hours. I work two jobs, Katie and I both carry significant health diagnoses, we are raising kids, and life has been difficult financially. Mixed in with that, we are working on letting go of so much stuff in our house, which can be emotionally draining. It is in the stillness of the morning today that I have been reflecting on that. Our vacation earlier didn’t fully get me to the end of myself and my thoughts.

Ecclesiastes reminds us that “there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” Later, Solomon concludes: “So I saw that there is nothing better for a person than to enjoy their work, because that is their lot…” (Ecclesiastes 3:22). Work is good. Meaningful work is a gift. However, so is stepping away from it for extended periods. Earlier this year, our family enjoyed a beach vacation. And now, just a couple of weeks later, we’re away again—this time on a cruise with our extended family. That’s not something we normally do, and it’s certainly not something we could simply make happen on our own. It has been a gracious gift from God and from family. More than anything, it has reminded me how important it is to simply let go at times.

Sometimes we need more than just a day or two.

Taking Inventory

As I’ve watched the sunrise over the Atlantic and the islands come into view, I’ve been taking inventory of this trip. I realized that I needed the invitation to the cruise more than the destination. Yes, my kids were excited to “go to another country,” and I was excited about the warm, clear waters of the Bahamas. However, I needed more than a place. The time away from distraction is what was needed. I’ve found myself wondering: Where is God inviting you to rest? That was a question for me to answer and continue to find the answer to, but it is also one for you. Perhaps you don’t need a cruise. Truthfully, you probably don’t. The food is overrated. Maybe your port of call is a weekend away with your spouse. A staycation where your phone stays in a drawer. A day spent hiking. An afternoon without notifications. A week away from social media. A season of saying no to one more commitment.

The destination matters less than the invitation. I think that sometimes we become so accustomed to noise, deadlines, responsibilities, and constant connection that we forget what stillness feels like. That means sometimes the holiest thing or the best thing we can do is stop.

Come to Me

This morning, as I watched the port come into view. I reflected on Jesus’ invitation, which remains wonderfully simple: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” In many ways, Jesus is echoing the promise David celebrated in Psalm 23. The Good Shepherd leads the sheep beside quiet waters. In that space, God restores their souls. There, God prepares a table in the presence of their enemies. In that rest, God provides a place where striving gives way to trust.

That kind of rest isn’t only found on vacation. The stillness of the ocean stretched out before me gave me reflections on those quiet waters. We need vacations, retreats, sabbaticals, and even quiet afternoons because they can become places where we remember it again.

Hearing the Invitation

As this ship slips into port, I’m grateful for this time on the water and for the opportunity to disconnect from work, social media, and the endless stream of information that so easily fills every empty space. I’ll return to writing soon. For now, I’m trying to receive this season as a longer Sabbath. Perhaps that’s my encouragement to you as well.

Take inventory of your life. There are lights on in a port, the port is called Sabbath. Jesus is inviting you. Ask yourself whether you’ve been hearing God’s invitation to rest—or if you are resistant to it—and ask whether you’ve been too busy to answer it. Sometimes we simply have to say no, create the space, and trust that God will meet us there. After all, every soul eventually needs a port of call.

If this post resonated, subscribe for future reflections, share it with a friend, or leave a comment. You can learn more about his journey to recover a rooted Christian way of life through the Lord’s Prayer, ancient habits, leading a quiet life, and simple Jesus communities online at JeffMcLain.com, the Lead a Quiet Life blog on Patheos, or the Discovering God Podcast.

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About Jeff McLain

Jeff McLain is a Doctor of Ministry Student on the Lord’s Prayer at Kairos University, Director of Pastoral Ministries at Water Street Mission, and a pastor at River Corner Church. Mobilized by 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12, Jeff blogs about recovering a rooted Christian way of life through the Lord’s Prayer, ancient habits, leading a quiet life, and simple Jesus communities. You can read more about the author here.

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