S.O.S.
8 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 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. 11 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.
Exodus 20:8-11
God designed us for rest. One of the things people remarked on the most during the COVID lockdowns was how nice it was to have less to do. No kids sport. No parties. No family get togethers (legal ones).
Some didn’t experience this rest because they just renovated their house. Some got tired of rest.
But regardless, most people long for rest. And in God’s kindness He has shown us a pattern - even commanding Israel to follow a pattern of rest. Now, we don’t live under the law of Israel but the principle remains.
In fact, that’s why the Church for thousands of years has prioritised Sunday as a day of rest. Not because of law, but because of grace and wisdom. God has so provisioned the world that we can take a day of rest. And He has given us the Church to help us learn to rest in Him, enjoying His grace.
The question is, will we listen to wisdom? Will we take hold of the grace of God? Can we trust God enough that resting in Him is better than resting through other means?
Let’s enjoy rest on a Sunday remembering that it points to the glorious rest we can experience in the new creation.
For Today:
Pray: Praise the Father for His grace in providing rest for us. Give thanks for Jesus Christ who allows us to rest in Him through forgiveness. Ask God for His Holy Spirit to help you and others prioritise rest and look forward to the future rest to come.
Exodus 20:8-11
God designed us for rest. One of the things people remarked on the most during the COVID lockdowns was how nice it was to have less to do. No kids sport. No parties. No family get togethers (legal ones).
Some didn’t experience this rest because they just renovated their house. Some got tired of rest.
But regardless, most people long for rest. And in God’s kindness He has shown us a pattern - even commanding Israel to follow a pattern of rest. Now, we don’t live under the law of Israel but the principle remains.
In fact, that’s why the Church for thousands of years has prioritised Sunday as a day of rest. Not because of law, but because of grace and wisdom. God has so provisioned the world that we can take a day of rest. And He has given us the Church to help us learn to rest in Him, enjoying His grace.
The question is, will we listen to wisdom? Will we take hold of the grace of God? Can we trust God enough that resting in Him is better than resting through other means?
Let’s enjoy rest on a Sunday remembering that it points to the glorious rest we can experience in the new creation.
For Today:
- Do you long for true rest?
- What do you do to prioritise rest?
- Do you find Church restful? Why or why not do you think?
Pray: Praise the Father for His grace in providing rest for us. Give thanks for Jesus Christ who allows us to rest in Him through forgiveness. Ask God for His Holy Spirit to help you and others prioritise rest and look forward to the future rest to come.
Posted in Save Our Sundays
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