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A Day of Rest

“Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God… For in six days the Lord made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy.”¹

“In the same way, some think one day is more holy than another day, while others think every day is alike. You should each be fully convinced that whichever day you choose is acceptable. Those who worship the Lord on a special day do it to honor him…”²

Most Christian’s have adopted Sunday as the day that we set aside to honor and worship God amongst other believers. This is based on the pattern the believers in the New Testament followed when they met on the first day of the week. Regardless of the day you set aside to worship God, we should always remember what Jesus said in Mark 2:27, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath.” This was said in response to the Pharisees questioning why Jesus’ disciples were breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath. This day of rest is not about us, but about Jesus. He knows our needs even better than we do and wants to use this time to meet those needs.

When we set aside a day of rest and worship, we are seeking Him first and trusting that He will help us not only get our work done in six days, but He will also bless that work because we are trusting His provision. This is a time to remember all the “good” work God has done and His great faithfulness. This is a day for a Spiritual reset as we spend time with God and bask in His beauty. God is not seeking perfection. He simply wants us to accept this gift of the Sabbath and experience His goodness.

Make a choice to set aside the computer, stop checking those constant emails, stop stressing about the to-do list and enjoy spending time with your Heavenly Father and the many blessings He has given you.

Suggested prayer: Dear God, thank you for demonstrating the pattern of work and rest that you wanted us to follow. At times our schedules may seem overwhelming, and we may find it hard to let it go. Help me trust you always. I surrender my life to you. Thank you for the gift of the Sabbath. In Jesus’ name, amen.

1.    Exodus 20:8-11.

2.    Romans 14:5-6.

 

Today’s Encounter was written by: Crystal B.