I get the feeling God wants us to keep our Sabbaths. And not just for us to put our feet up. He always has a much deeper meaning than what we read or see at first.
12 Also I gave them my Sabbaths as a sign between us, so they would know that I the LORD made them holy.
This jumped out at me, along with "and they utterly desecrated my Sabbaths" from verse 13. It's interesting that the Lord would put aside a day to remind us that the Lord has made us holy. It's like we need a mini-holiday (holy-day?) every week to remember that we are not just work horses or dogs, we are a sacred people, set apart and made holy by a holy God. We do need to work, but it is also important for us to remember that we are more than our work, our work does not make us who we are. God does.
Keeping the Sabbath shows faith in God that He will provide for our needs while we turn our faces and our hearts to Him to worship. It's more than just a physical rest, it is a spiritual re-centering. It is a re-focusing on our Lord and God. If we spent all the time with our noses to the grind we lose sight of who we are and what we are created to be. And that is a child of God created to be in fellowship with Him.
When I was in seminary I often would work on papers and school work on sunday. It was a 'free' day and I had time. I figured it was better for me to get it done than have it hanging over me. Well the Lord impressed upon me, three times in fact, that He wanted me to be taking a Sabbath. A whole 24 hours of rest. At that point I thought it was just physical rest and spiritual renewal. And He called me to do it at a very test/paper heavy time of the semester. I told Him ok, but He'd better help me get all this homework done. I looked forward in the week to all the work that needed to be completed and wasn't sure how I'd get it all done. I took my Sabbath on sunday and rested. It was good. I needed that. And then something wonderful happened, not only did I get it all done, but I had time leftover at the end of the week. I was flabbergasted. That solidified it for me! I took a Sabbath every week after that. And even now, though I am very involved in our church and my husband is the pastor, I try to make sunday's as Sabbathy as possible.
The Lord takes seriously our not taking Sabbaths. He is offended. Now I realize that we are under grace and not the law, but there is good reason for the Lord commanding that we take a rest. It causes us to stop, breathe, and just be. We are human BEings, not human DOings. It helps us to grow in our trust of God and His ability to provide. Provision for time to get everything done, provision for money and resources. Going all the time not only wears us out but in it we deceive ourselves into thinking that we can do it all. We can work, go to church, do yardwork, housework, take the kids to sports, have the relatives over for dinner...... Many of our lives are lived in high gear and we cannot survive like that. We NEED one day, at least, to rest and be still. We just don't stop. And having one day a week also promotes families. The state of the family is under attack and it's subtle. Good, quality programs that pull children and parents every which way. It's all good, but is it the best?
We've lost the value of a Sabbath in our lives. God is calling us to live it again. To come to Him and rest in His presence.
Tomorrow's passage: Ezekiel 22-23, 1 Peter 1
4 comments:
Thanks, Kathryn. Since starting this Bible-reading journey, I've made a conscious effort to save Sundays for church and family activities. It is nice to have a day each week to look forward to just spending time together and NOT working or trying to get this, that or the other thing done yet before the work week starts.
A Sabbath rest is so important - and clearly VERY important to God, as we can see from this passage.
There are two temptations I think we can give in to - one is to view Sunday as just another work day (as you described) and the other is to make the day of rest all about me.
It should be focusing on God, and making time for our relationships with each other. And the awesome thing is that when we do that, we go away refreshed and renewed. I find when I just take time for me and focus on me, I don't come back refreshed - I come back snappy. Focusing on God benefits us.
This is another one of those things that I kinda struggle with ~ how, EXACTLY, is "keeping a day holy" supposed to LOOK like in my life???
Tammy, I had the same thoughts, but you said it so well. (especially the snappy part ~ man, I can identify with that all too well!!)
That's very true, Tammy! For me, Sundays are about church and family. If I start making it about what I want to do for me (because I "deserve" it after my busy week :P) I very quickly get snappy too.
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