August 10
August 10
One of God’s good gifts of grace to us is the Sabbath of rest and worship.
The truth that God knows who we are and what we need is taught throughout Scripture. The creational establishment of the Sabbath is a perfect example. God knows that he created us with limits, so it is physically and spiritually unhealthy for us to work 24/7. He knows that our hearts are prone to wander, losing spiritual focus and allowing created things to gain power in our hearts that challenges the rule God deserves. So, in loving mercy, he created the Sabbath and commanded his children to observe it. The Sabbath is for us. It gives us regular times of rest without feeling guilty that we are not being productive. It calls us out of the distracting clamor of our daily lives into worship, reminding us that our identity, meaning, purpose, and hope are found in the Lord alone. How loving it is that God designed for us to have times of regular physical and spiritual retreat, refreshment, and renewal.
Thus says the Lord: Take care for the sake of your lives, and do not bear a burden on the Sabbath day or bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem. And do not carry a burden out of your houses on the Sabbath or do any work, but keep the Sabbath day holy, as I commanded your fathers. Yet they did not listen or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck, that they might not hear and receive instruction.
But if you listen to me, declares the Lord, and bring in no burden by the gates of this city on the Sabbath day, but keep the Sabbath day holy and do no work on it, then there shall enter by the gates of this city kings and princes who sit on the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they and their officials, the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And this city shall be inhabited forever. (Jer. 17:21–25)
God is saying, “Don’t you understand? I have given you a day when you can lay down your work burden without guilt.” God calls his children to keep the Sabbath holy, which means “separated unto him.” He wants us to set apart a day to rest from work and to worship. God says, “If you do this, then you will prosper—not just now, but forever.”
Nowhere in the surrounding culture is Sabbath recognized or reinforced. No matter what your specific theological views of the Sabbath might be, you too need to set aside a day for rest and worship and to resist powerful cultural influences that want to control your weekly schedule.
Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you have unlimited energy or strength. Don’t deceive yourself into thinking your heart is free from the temptation to wander. Receive God’s gift of Sabbath with gratitude and joy, and celebrate the physical rest and spiritual renewal that come with this gift.