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The Rest of God: Restoring Your Soul by Restoring Sabbath
Emphasizes the importance of stillness--a virtue that is a foreign concept in today's society--for sanity and wholeness, reminding people that Sabbath is a gift to prolong lives, enrich relationships, increase fruitfulness, and make joy complete.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2006
About the author
Mark Buchanan
42 books189 followersMark Buchanan lives in Calgary, Alberta, with his wife, Cheryl. They have three adult children, Adam, Sarah, and Nicola. He was a longtime pastor, an author of many books, and now serves as a professor at Ambrose University College in Calgary.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 366 reviews
February 4, 2010
After reading a couple good reviews of Mark Buchanan's work a year or so ago I bought a couple of his books. Upon receiving the books, though, they quickly languished on my shelves. They looked too "pop-culturey" to me to rouse me to read.
I'm glad they finally made it into my hands.
"The Rest of God" is an excellent book. Buchanan is a bit like an evangelical, male version of Annie Dillard. There is a stillness and a slowness-even a choppiness- in the way he writes.
"The Rest of God" is really a magical book. In it Buchanan manages to weaves wonderfully imaginative exposition (without being fanciful or nonbiblical) with delightful storytelling and clear, but gentle exhortation.
I left the book with a clearer and more poetic biblical understanding of the Sabbath while also have a much deeper desire for Sabbath rest in my own life AND (wonder of wonders) some very helpful practical ways to incorporate this rest into my life.
Thank you, Mr. Buchanan... forgive me for thinking myself better than your writing!
I'm glad they finally made it into my hands.
"The Rest of God" is an excellent book. Buchanan is a bit like an evangelical, male version of Annie Dillard. There is a stillness and a slowness-even a choppiness- in the way he writes.
"The Rest of God" is really a magical book. In it Buchanan manages to weaves wonderfully imaginative exposition (without being fanciful or nonbiblical) with delightful storytelling and clear, but gentle exhortation.
I left the book with a clearer and more poetic biblical understanding of the Sabbath while also have a much deeper desire for Sabbath rest in my own life AND (wonder of wonders) some very helpful practical ways to incorporate this rest into my life.
Thank you, Mr. Buchanan... forgive me for thinking myself better than your writing!
February 12, 2022
This was such a gentle invitation into deeper and more in the area of Sabbath but even more so in relationship with God. Feel like I’ve read a lot of books and listened to a lot of podcasts on Sabbath and still left this book with so much new insight and perspective, for which I’m grateful. Whether you’re an avid sabbath practicer or not at all, this book is for you.
May 15, 2023
Decent nuggets of wisdom buried in narrative purple prose basically.
December 15, 2023
kind of a drag. Maybe that was the point? Took me way too long to read. Got bored. But the end was pretty good. I’d say the last few chapters would’ve sufficed. The author went on little rants/bunny trails that I wasn’t interested in, but toward the end became a tiny bit more engaging. Idk
March 8, 2022
On the Sabbath: “Cease from what is necessary. Embrace that which gives life. And then do whatever you want.”
Sabbath was made for us. It’s a gift.
Sabbath was made for us. It’s a gift.
September 19, 2021
This book would have been better if he didn’t give such long winded examples.
March 18, 2023
I feel like I could barely give this 3 stars, but it wasn’t so bad as to only receive 2.
Not my style. Too many distant narratives. I came for the wisdom, but instead got a reminiscence of some peculiar happenings throughout Buchanan’s life that poorly fit into the concept of Sabbath. After about halfway I started skipping past the appetizer storytelling to the main course ideas.
If you are totally new to Sabbath, this might be a refreshing read. The information is good and true, but nothing new. If you are a regular Sabbath-keeper and have a sense of the ropes, I honestly think you could do without reading this one. If anything, I think John Mark Comer does it better in The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry.
Not my style. Too many distant narratives. I came for the wisdom, but instead got a reminiscence of some peculiar happenings throughout Buchanan’s life that poorly fit into the concept of Sabbath. After about halfway I started skipping past the appetizer storytelling to the main course ideas.
If you are totally new to Sabbath, this might be a refreshing read. The information is good and true, but nothing new. If you are a regular Sabbath-keeper and have a sense of the ropes, I honestly think you could do without reading this one. If anything, I think John Mark Comer does it better in The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry.
September 4, 2024
This book killed me in the best way.
“If God works all things together for good for those who love him and are called to his purposes, you can relax. If he doesn't, start worrying. If God can take any mess, any mishap, any wastage, any wreckage, any anything, and choreograph beauty and meaning from it, then you can take a day off. If he can't, get busy. Either God's always at work, watching the city, building the house, or you need to try harder.
Either God is good and in control, or it all depends on you.”
“If God works all things together for good for those who love him and are called to his purposes, you can relax. If he doesn't, start worrying. If God can take any mess, any mishap, any wastage, any wreckage, any anything, and choreograph beauty and meaning from it, then you can take a day off. If he can't, get busy. Either God's always at work, watching the city, building the house, or you need to try harder.
Either God is good and in control, or it all depends on you.”
March 17, 2023
3.5/5 … this is a subjective rating. Well written, yet did not deliver on my expectations.
Sift through the anecdotal chaff and you will find some Sabbath treasure.
Maybe it’s just seasonal, ya know? If you like “The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry” by Comer, you might also enjoy this read.
Sift through the anecdotal chaff and you will find some Sabbath treasure.
Maybe it’s just seasonal, ya know? If you like “The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry” by Comer, you might also enjoy this read.
March 1, 2023
Kinda sped through this in an almost anti-Sabbath way. Oh well.
Very good and practical. If you liked The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, I would recommend reading this book as well — even though they cover roughly the same topic/idea.
Very good and practical. If you liked The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, I would recommend reading this book as well — even though they cover roughly the same topic/idea.
December 14, 2020
"But when I say Sabbath, I also mean attitude- It is a perspective, an orientation. I mean a sabbath heart, not just a Sabbath day. A Sabbath heart is restful even in the midst of unrest and upheaval. It is attentive to the presence of God and others even in the welter of much coming and going, rising and falling. It is still and knows God even when mountains fall into the sea. You will never enter the Sabbath day without a Sabbath heart..... Cease from what is necessary. Embrace that which gives life."
Overall, helpful book in aiding to the discussion of Sabbath. He talks about the difference between leisure and true sabbath rest and how our culture defines work and in response rest. He has helpful tips of how to practice this tangibly and questions to ask yourself (Is this something that you create, or something that re-creates you? Where do I feel most alive, most hopeful, most in the presence of God?) This book helps the reader to have a healthy view of work, rest, and not only Sabbath here on earth but also looking forward to the time when we will experience the fullness of the rest of God.
Overall, helpful book in aiding to the discussion of Sabbath. He talks about the difference between leisure and true sabbath rest and how our culture defines work and in response rest. He has helpful tips of how to practice this tangibly and questions to ask yourself (Is this something that you create, or something that re-creates you? Where do I feel most alive, most hopeful, most in the presence of God?) This book helps the reader to have a healthy view of work, rest, and not only Sabbath here on earth but also looking forward to the time when we will experience the fullness of the rest of God.
April 14, 2019
Really enjoyed this Sabbath read. I like the author’s approach- it was a compelling invitation to Sabbath. He didn’t focus too heavily on theory and theology, which has its place, but weaved it seamlessly into his chapters. I liked his practical suggestions that followed each chapter. They weren’t rules or must-dos, but thoughtful ways to build on what you’ve read.
January 15, 2020
This is my third time reading this book and each time I glean just a little something more. It seems especially pertinent in January when we are setting our goals and intentions for the coming year and I hope to incorporate some of Buchanan's ideas into my life.
April 19, 2022
2nd time reading this and it’s definitely my favorite book about Sabbath. 10/10 would recommend & we really enjoyed reading it as a staff!
July 19, 2022
Truly a thorough and insightful book on rest in the life of the Christian, with gospel threads woven throughout. It was encouraging to see that the author was writing from a place of humility as someone still learning what it means to rest himself, and taking cues from Scripture.
This would’ve been a five star read for me, but it honestly could’ve been a much shorter book had it not been for the seemingly unrelated stories that began each chapter (some 4-5 pages long). Sometimes I felt that he was stretching a bit to try to connect the stories to his discussion of rest. But, maybe even this was purposeful to force his readers to slow down and rest even while reading.
Overall, would recommend!
This would’ve been a five star read for me, but it honestly could’ve been a much shorter book had it not been for the seemingly unrelated stories that began each chapter (some 4-5 pages long). Sometimes I felt that he was stretching a bit to try to connect the stories to his discussion of rest. But, maybe even this was purposeful to force his readers to slow down and rest even while reading.
Overall, would recommend!
February 2, 2021
Ah. Buchanan’s airy writing style somehow allows him to make an impassioned plea for a neglected practice without spoiling the spirit of the topic at hand: Rest. Sabbath. He’s certainly accurate in claiming the pervasiveness of “busy” today, and therefore sensible in proposing the reinstatement of this age-old practice. God made Sabbath for us easily-spent creatures, and we are wisest when we keep it.
June 22, 2023
I read half way, stopped reading during some transition, then decided to start over. It’s that good. I had no idea just how pivotal some of the practices in this book would be for me, and every believer, I think, would benefit from this one. Not only is the author articulate and concise, he is playful with his writing and imaginative. A splendid, well thought-out work with many liturgies to apply. Would also recommend reading through this one slowly to let the ideas truly absorb!! Will be reading again in the years to come :-)
June 12, 2022
3.5 stars. Well worth reading, as long as you’re willing to sift through some chaff to find the great bits.
March 1, 2022
Transformed the way I view God’s design for sabbath. I loved it so much and benefitted from being able to discuss it bi-weekly in community. It was helpful for me to work through it slowly, so that I could put the sabbath practices into place. Very grateful for this read.
December 27, 2014
Mark Buchanan is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. Not only was the content of the book life-changing, it personally spoke to me at length. The message of the book is one that is glossed over by most Bible-believers and Buchanan deftly describes in an opening chapter what the book is about..."The argument of this book is that we uniquely take up his invitation by keeping Sabbath, both as a day and as an attitude."
I found myself musing deeply on the thoughts presented throughout the book while laughing heartily at many of the personal illustrations.
One will not find a list of "do's & don'ts" in this book. That has been the crux of many fundamental, Bible-believing Pharisees for far too long. I know...I have been one of them. It is easy to have a list of what we do and don't (usually garnered from some person or some movement), but it is much harder to live in the spirit of Christ. Jesus upended the list of do's and don'ts that the Pharisees had. He wasn't much concerned at the list of rules that they had - many of the lists followed to a 'T' the Old Testament law. He wasn't concerned with what others thought - only what His Father thought.
Every chapter had morsel upon morsel of real meat upon which to meditate. Not only did the author base his thesis upon scriptural principles, he wove them with stories that illustrated beautifully the truth of the topic at hand.
I loved the overall emphasis on slowing down in life. For far too long, I have gone at breakneck speed. The "movers & shakers" of fundamentalism have hailed as heroes those who go non-stop in their quest to "reach the world" for Christ. I have never been to a conference whose theme is "Be still & know that I am God." I am not certain the reason why but I have a few guesses.
The book has been marked up, starred, underlined, and notated all the way through. Let me share a few of my favorite here:
"The root idea of Sabbath is simple as rain falling, basic as breathing. It's that all living things - and many nonliving things too - thrive only by an ample measure of stillness. A bird flying, never nesting, is soon plummeting. Grass trampled, day after day, scalps down to the hard bone of earth. Fruit constantly inspected bruises, blights. This is true of other things as well: a saw used without relenting-its teeth never filed, its blade never cooled-grows dull and brittle; a motor never shut off gums with residue or fatigues from thinness of oil - it sputters, it stalls, it seizes."
"We simply haven't taken time. We've not been still long enough, often enough, to know ourselves, our friends, our family. Our God. Indeed, the worst hallucination busyness conjures is the conviction that I am God. All depends on me. How will the right things happen at the right time if I'm not pushing and pulling and watching and worrying?"
"A common characteristic of driven people is that, at some point, they forget the purpose...their original inspiration may be noble. But driven too hard, it gets supplanted by greed for more, or dread of setback, or force of habit. Drivenness erodes purposefulness. The difference between living on purpose and being driven surfaces most clearly in what we do with time."
"Those who guard ever minute, resent every interruption, ration every moment, never have enough. They're always late, always behind, always scrambling, always driven. There is, of course, a place for wise management of our days and weeks and years. But management can quickly turn into rigidity. We hold time so tight we crush it, like a flower closed in the fist. We thought we were protecting it, but all we did was destroy it."
"We think we're the exception, the one for whom busyness will translate into fruitfulness. We think, because we've figured ways to build impossibly tall, lithe buildings and dig immensely deep, broad holes, to spy on babies in the womb, to tease out strands of DNA, to send whole computer files from New York to Nairobi in a split second - we think because our industry and ingenuity seem boundless, we can also figure out a way around our God-imposed need for stillness. We can't. The need is not conjured away by medication, technology, discipline, cleverness, sheer willfulness. It always comes back to take its due."
"Life is meant to be much different - fuller, richer, deeper, slower - from what it is."
"For certain, there has not been enough silence in my life. Silence is the condition for true listening. But I have too little of it. Silence came visiting and found me already occupied."
"Jesus's Sabbath-keeping always looked, to his enemies, like Sabbath breaking."
I found myself musing deeply on the thoughts presented throughout the book while laughing heartily at many of the personal illustrations.
One will not find a list of "do's & don'ts" in this book. That has been the crux of many fundamental, Bible-believing Pharisees for far too long. I know...I have been one of them. It is easy to have a list of what we do and don't (usually garnered from some person or some movement), but it is much harder to live in the spirit of Christ. Jesus upended the list of do's and don'ts that the Pharisees had. He wasn't much concerned at the list of rules that they had - many of the lists followed to a 'T' the Old Testament law. He wasn't concerned with what others thought - only what His Father thought.
Every chapter had morsel upon morsel of real meat upon which to meditate. Not only did the author base his thesis upon scriptural principles, he wove them with stories that illustrated beautifully the truth of the topic at hand.
I loved the overall emphasis on slowing down in life. For far too long, I have gone at breakneck speed. The "movers & shakers" of fundamentalism have hailed as heroes those who go non-stop in their quest to "reach the world" for Christ. I have never been to a conference whose theme is "Be still & know that I am God." I am not certain the reason why but I have a few guesses.
The book has been marked up, starred, underlined, and notated all the way through. Let me share a few of my favorite here:
"The root idea of Sabbath is simple as rain falling, basic as breathing. It's that all living things - and many nonliving things too - thrive only by an ample measure of stillness. A bird flying, never nesting, is soon plummeting. Grass trampled, day after day, scalps down to the hard bone of earth. Fruit constantly inspected bruises, blights. This is true of other things as well: a saw used without relenting-its teeth never filed, its blade never cooled-grows dull and brittle; a motor never shut off gums with residue or fatigues from thinness of oil - it sputters, it stalls, it seizes."
"We simply haven't taken time. We've not been still long enough, often enough, to know ourselves, our friends, our family. Our God. Indeed, the worst hallucination busyness conjures is the conviction that I am God. All depends on me. How will the right things happen at the right time if I'm not pushing and pulling and watching and worrying?"
"A common characteristic of driven people is that, at some point, they forget the purpose...their original inspiration may be noble. But driven too hard, it gets supplanted by greed for more, or dread of setback, or force of habit. Drivenness erodes purposefulness. The difference between living on purpose and being driven surfaces most clearly in what we do with time."
"Those who guard ever minute, resent every interruption, ration every moment, never have enough. They're always late, always behind, always scrambling, always driven. There is, of course, a place for wise management of our days and weeks and years. But management can quickly turn into rigidity. We hold time so tight we crush it, like a flower closed in the fist. We thought we were protecting it, but all we did was destroy it."
"We think we're the exception, the one for whom busyness will translate into fruitfulness. We think, because we've figured ways to build impossibly tall, lithe buildings and dig immensely deep, broad holes, to spy on babies in the womb, to tease out strands of DNA, to send whole computer files from New York to Nairobi in a split second - we think because our industry and ingenuity seem boundless, we can also figure out a way around our God-imposed need for stillness. We can't. The need is not conjured away by medication, technology, discipline, cleverness, sheer willfulness. It always comes back to take its due."
"Life is meant to be much different - fuller, richer, deeper, slower - from what it is."
"For certain, there has not been enough silence in my life. Silence is the condition for true listening. But I have too little of it. Silence came visiting and found me already occupied."
"Jesus's Sabbath-keeping always looked, to his enemies, like Sabbath breaking."
July 29, 2020
"All our authority is derived. Either God gives us words, or we are only giving opinions. Either God vouches for us, or our credentials are forged. If anyone ever stops to listen to you or me, this has to be solidly in place: Our speaking comes out of our listening. What we say comes out of what we hear. We HAVE to be people who listen, day and night, to our God. Our utterances ought to be as Jesus's were: an echoing of the Father, an imitation of him. They ought to be a holy ventriloquism, a sacred pantomime... But there are so many voices."
I have been on a journey this year to build in rhythms of renewal throughout my weeks and to practice solid, Scriptural Sabbath on a weekly basis, and this book was my latest in a line of learnings. And what I have derived foremost is that Sabbath is essentially about listening- silencing the noise of our life and the voices that we have allowed to speak into it and listen to the One that is life-giving, spirit-enriching, and the "Author and Perfector" of our faith. Cease from the "necessary" things, the list-making, the doing, the going, and embrace that which gives you life and celebrate who gave you life.
Really enjoyed the lessons in this one. Good writing and examples throughout as well.
I have been on a journey this year to build in rhythms of renewal throughout my weeks and to practice solid, Scriptural Sabbath on a weekly basis, and this book was my latest in a line of learnings. And what I have derived foremost is that Sabbath is essentially about listening- silencing the noise of our life and the voices that we have allowed to speak into it and listen to the One that is life-giving, spirit-enriching, and the "Author and Perfector" of our faith. Cease from the "necessary" things, the list-making, the doing, the going, and embrace that which gives you life and celebrate who gave you life.
Really enjoyed the lessons in this one. Good writing and examples throughout as well.
October 16, 2015
This book was recommended to me by a friend, and I am glad that it was. Western Followers would do well to read this one. Though the writing style is a bit overly descriptive at times (in my opinion) which tends to distract from what he is trying to emphasize, the point still comes across well. There are a few times that the author seems to start down rabbit trails as well, but regardless, the message/theme ends up shining by the end of each chapter. I particularly liked the practical-liturgy follow up pages at the end of each chapter; they functioned as "how-to's" and helped make the concepts a bit more concrete.
All in all, I walked away from this book a bit more at peace in my soul, and with a plan moving forward on how to remain in that peace; all because this author, in his unique style, helped reiterate and reshape my understanding on Sabbath. We often talk about concepts of joy and peace, but without any practical ways of obtaining them. Who would have thought that the prescription was laid out in scripture for us since the beginning?! : p
All in all, I walked away from this book a bit more at peace in my soul, and with a plan moving forward on how to remain in that peace; all because this author, in his unique style, helped reiterate and reshape my understanding on Sabbath. We often talk about concepts of joy and peace, but without any practical ways of obtaining them. Who would have thought that the prescription was laid out in scripture for us since the beginning?! : p
May 18, 2015
"Sabbath-keeping requires two orientations. One is Godward. The other is timeward"
There are some gems here. I would recommend it as a good book to read about the Sabbath, but I wouldn't make this the only book or the first one.
This is not theological at all. It is meant to provoke the imagination. Because of that I wish the author used fewer Biblical stories, because his creative interpretations of the stories often have no relation to authorial intent.
I've seen some people compare Mark Buchanan to Phillip Yancey. I get the comparison - they are both the rare evangelical writer with an aesthetic sensibility. But wouldn't go that far - Yancey is a GOOD writer. Much of this book is overwritten and excessive and Buchanan tells stories that seem to take days to get to the point.
There are some gems here. I would recommend it as a good book to read about the Sabbath, but I wouldn't make this the only book or the first one.
This is not theological at all. It is meant to provoke the imagination. Because of that I wish the author used fewer Biblical stories, because his creative interpretations of the stories often have no relation to authorial intent.
I've seen some people compare Mark Buchanan to Phillip Yancey. I get the comparison - they are both the rare evangelical writer with an aesthetic sensibility. But wouldn't go that far - Yancey is a GOOD writer. Much of this book is overwritten and excessive and Buchanan tells stories that seem to take days to get to the point.
June 23, 2023
At the encouragement of my sabbatical coach, I began my sabbatical with this book. I was really blessed by Buchanan's book, "God Walk," and there was much good here, as well. The Introduction and first couple of chapter were great, as were the last two chapters. The middle, though, falls into typical evangelical reflections on Sabbath, and I nearly gagged when he held out Franklin Graham as anything or anyone virtuous. I will give him the benefit of him not knowing when he wrote it what we know now about his unhinged partisanship and blind obedience to wholly unvirtuous politicians.
Anyway, if you're interested in reading this. Read the beginning and the end.
Anyway, if you're interested in reading this. Read the beginning and the end.
February 2, 2018
I have been slowly reading, applying, and working through this book. The liturgical sections at the end of each chapter have been slowly implemented into my regular rhythms of quiet and devotion. Since starting this book last summer I have seen the concepts he breaks down within each chapter have changed my "mode" of living. At times I feel a story may drag on as he tries to make a point or draw you into imagination about an idea. For me, rereading and going back to the sabbath practices described in this book have made this book so worth it.
October 7, 2020
Sabbath is not just a day of the week; observing it in ways God intended can be a complete change in your life. After all, the Sabbath was made for man - "It's a day that God intended to fuss over us, not we over it." Each chapter suggests a new area to explore and put into practice for your personal restoration. Liturgies summarize each idea and include the subjects of relinquishing, finding your joy, taking thoughts captive, paying attention and wanting to get well. There is something whether big or small for everyone and will need more than one reading.
December 5, 2020
This was one of those books where I had to restrain myself with my highlighter. I’ve finally finished it and I already know I should come back to it again (and again) to further absorb it. Challenging and inspiring. It invited me into a new way of thinking about rest while continually calling out any religious duty/responsibility I may subsequently try to place on myself along the way. I can’t quite imagine how restful life would be if I fully grasped the concepts of Sabbath illuminated here. But that’s his point too—we never quite will.
January 28, 2022
One of my criteria for evaluating books is to reflect on how many times I had to refocus on the author's words because I was so captivated by something they wrote that my mind began to wander off script. A quote that causes deep reflection, an image that evokes hidden emotions or a convicting thought that spurs me on to better things - these are the traits of a wonderful read and this book excelled in all these areas.
Buchanan is a pastor. He writes like a pastor and treats the sacred text like a bonafide lover of its sacred truth. He is not a detached spectator analyzing the spiritual practice in a laboratory. When you read a chapter you hear a mind at work and a heart that is reaching for more. I have grown in my love for the Sabbath by having read this book. I highly recommend it to anyone who believes that the essence of life is found in intimacy with the God of Scripture.
Buchanan is a pastor. He writes like a pastor and treats the sacred text like a bonafide lover of its sacred truth. He is not a detached spectator analyzing the spiritual practice in a laboratory. When you read a chapter you hear a mind at work and a heart that is reaching for more. I have grown in my love for the Sabbath by having read this book. I highly recommend it to anyone who believes that the essence of life is found in intimacy with the God of Scripture.
July 17, 2023
I loved this book. It's a lot to digest, though. I'm sure I'll be going back and rereading chapters at a time soon, since each one addresses a different aspect of biblical rest. As modern-day Christians, I think many of us have an anemic view of what Sabbath is and why it matters--either we don't think it's necessary or we have a warped view of why it is. I know that's been me, and I'm learning to rest in God more and more. The only critique I have is I felt the author was at times too descriptive and could have articulated his point with fewer metaphors.
September 6, 2023
This one took me a while since some of it was going over my head, but overall I loved getting more insight on the Sabbath. There were a lot of personal stories, but I think that helped display the fact that Sabbath can look different for everyone. Going into this, I thought I wanted an exact answer for what to do (my legalistic side), but this book gave me a desire to enjoy God and rest in Him on this side of eternity. Definitely recommend!
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