“God Ordained Rest”
“Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.” Sabbath is both a day and an attitude to nurture rest and rejuvenation in the life of God’s people. It is both a day of the week and a disposition of the heart. It is a day we experience, but also a view of life. Through rest, God imparts life—physical, mental, spiritual renewal. But Sabbath also reveals the rest of God—the things of God’s nature and presence we miss in our busyness.
Some of us think of Sabbath as something from which we are exempt. Something that, like typewriters and rotary telephones, went out of style long ago and won’t make a comeback. The truth is that Sabbath, in the long run, is actually essential to your surviving and thriving. Sabbath is as essential as food and water, and as beneficial to the bones as a wood stove on a cold day.
Many of us are just plain tired. We are worn out and exhausted from burning the candle at both ends. We hear the word “Sabbath” and think of it as “just one more thing to do.” Jesus would have us think otherwise, especially when He says, “Come to me all you who labor, and are heavy burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
