Last week I talked about what Sabbath means and asked you to pray about YOUR very own Sabbath rest. As followers of Jesus, we aren’t required to follow the laws given to Israel, yet the wisdom of those laws is really important for YOU today. The law of the Sabbath is pure gold. Don’t think of it as a commandment you are bound to; it’s a promise we’re invited to. Sabbath rest is an invitation to stop working and truly rest in God’s presence. When we practice this intentional stop, we make room for Him to take up residence in our individual lives. When we do this together, we’re making space for it in our communities and setting the stage for God to make His dwelling place right here in us.
Exodus 16:26 (NIV)
26 Six days you are to gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will not be any.”
So, What… for This Week?
Our modern conception of Sabbath is often little more than “taking a day off” for the purpose of relaxing. But true Sabbath rest is set apart as holy: it is intended for worship as much as for well-being. Instead, our ego makes us think that everything is up to us and if we stop, the world will stop with us. This mindset feeds our ceaseless busyness, but if we let it, Sabbath will change all that! If we rest, we will not only feel restored, we will feel closer to God, as we are reminded that we are NOT in control and He is. On the other hand if you ignore Sabbath all together (like so many do), you will be enslaved to your work and the busyness of your life!