Devotional - October, 4, 2023
Scripture: Exodus 20: 8-11 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
Today's command comes with it's own commentary. Because the LORD rested, you too are to rest. In doing so, not only are you doing as God does, but you are resting with God. As God rests on the Sabbath, you too are to rest with God. Many do not include the seventh day as being a day of creation, but you should. It was created to be a day of rest which is what the word Sabbath means. So you may ask, what was defined as work? The rule of thumb was, did your actions create something? If you open a door, you create an entry. If you flick the switch, a light comes on. You created light. If you turn over in bed or walk across a room, nothing new was created. The letter of this law was meticulously scrutinized, but as Christians, we look to the spirit of the law. What does it mean? Well, if our Creator calls for it, then we may need it. There are numerous studies that support its health benefits. Many misunderstand the word rest by relating it to stopping work or doing nothing. They may stop doing things for a day, but start back the next. That is not resting, it is stopping. God calls for us to rest, to let go. Make it a day of leisure where you do something you enjoy, even with folks you enjoy, being conscious of being in the presence of God. God made this day for us (Mark 2:27). But to fully be in a state of rest, we need to do so with God. Whatever day you pick as being your seventh day, know that when you rest on that day, it is a day that has been blessed by God. It is a holy day, it is a gift, enjoy it (Ps 118: 24). When the calamity of life rushes into our thoughts, brush it away and say, "I'll think about that tomorrow." I am with God now. Like all of the commands God gives, they bring life into our lives by ridding us of confusion (1 Cor 14:33). It was also a time when others could see what God was doing in their life. When this law was given everyone, except the Jews, worked consistently. But not the Jews or those who happened to be in their household, they would rest on the seventh day. Others did not understand their work ethic. To rest a whole day would put them behind, but in fact, it did not. They would see that God provided for the day of rest and they would be better off for taking it. I hope you receive God's invitation to step aside from your weekly grind and rest with God, physically and mentally.
God's peace,
Pastor Brian
