If this is your first Moving on to the fourth Commandment, I hope you are enjoying this!! If not, it's a great reminder! Maybe it will be a fresh look at something that we have made a million excuses for over the years! These might be old rules! However, they still pertain to us! And as long as we have breath! They always will!!
Exodus 20:8-11 says, "Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9. You have six days each week for your ordinary work, 10. but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the Lord you God. On that day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you. 11. For in six days the Lord made the Heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day He rested. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy."
I know for most of us- the thought of resting for an entire 24-hour period causes a slight panic inside! A little bit of anxiety, just thinking about it!! Many of us cry that there are not enough hours in the day already! There is never enough time or energy to get everything done! Did you catch that little word I threw in there?? Energy!! What if we took a whole day to rest every week!?!?! Do you think it would give us more energy for the other six days?? Maybe we could get more done on those other days!!
For many of us we save our chores or projects for the weekend or our days off of work. What if we started to spread those chores out, to be done after work! We are the best/worst at scheduling our own lives! We have all this technology to make our lives easier! So that we can keep tight schedules and squeeze different things in at different times. But let's say you make a new schedule for at home?? Instead of turning on the t.v. when you walk through the door, maybe you could do one of your chores! I know it doesn't sound relaxing! But day 2&3 are not for relaxing!
Then on you one day off, you can plan your projects! Then you would have one day dedicated to the Lord!!! Your Sabbath day should include lots of praising God, for providing for you!! For keeping you safe throughout the week! For loving you beyond measure! Take time to learn more! Read your bible! Go to church! Do a bible study. Have a long conversation with Him! If you have to put your phone to your ear and pretend like you are filling in an old friend.
But this is why we burn out! This is why we are constantly tired!! Drinking pots of coffee, and chugging energy drinks! We are damaging our bodies, just to try to get a little extra pick up to complete our tasks for the day!
It makes it hard to imagine to even to try to get away for a weekend sometimes! Many of you, are thinking, "I simply cannot do that!!", "There is absolutely no way I could work that out!" or "I have to work on Sundays!" As much as we are supposed to be protected in the workforce for religion needs, let's face it! For a majority of opportunities, if we are not available for what they want or need, they will find someone who is. We all have bills! We all need to put food on the table! But let me point out- that nowhere in this Commandment does it say that your Sabbath day has to be on a Sunday! Yes, there are plenty of scriptures about Sunday being the Sabbath, and that the Sabbath is observed on Sundays!
But our God is a God of grace and mercy! He sees you! He sees you right where you are! He understands your circumstances! If you make your Sabbath, say a Tuesday or a Thursday- God will honored that you thought outside of the box! No matter what your circumstances, you had Him at the forefront of your thoughts! That you still managed to honor the Sabbath, thus honoring Him!
Use the time to seek God! Rest in His arms! Rest in the assurance that are His child!
Until next time:
Numbers 6:24-26
24. May the Lord bless you and protect you!
25. May the lord smile on you and be gracious to you!
26. May the Lord show you His favor and give you His peace!
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