June 28th, 2023
Thursday, June 29
The Gift Of A Sabbath
By: Lori Ennis
“If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the Lord’s holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words, then you will find your joy in the Lord…For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” Isaiah 58:13-14
I am busy.
Like, super busy. Ask anyone who knows me and they’ll tell you maybe ‘too busy’.
Even though I’m doing great things for God!
I bet you may be super busy too.
So I’ll ask you something God’s been asking me: “Are you using the day I gave you to REST to do what you want? Are you making excuses about not having time to take a true ‘Sabbath’ because you’re so busy doing My stuff? Are you tired, but not obeying me in TAKING MY DAY and making it holy?”
Ouch, right?
In our fast-paced world, where demands on our time and energy seem never-ending, the idea of Sabbath can feel like an elusive luxury. A luxury you just can’t indulge in because the world will collapse around you if you don’t.
May I share a secret?
It won’t. You’re just not that important.
OUCH again, I know.
The term Sabbath originates in the Hebrew word 'Shabbat,' meaning 'to cease' or 'to rest.' It is a concept introduced by God Himself in the creation narrative. After six days of forming the universe, God rested on the seventh day, setting a precedent for mankind (Genesis 2:2-3).
God GAVE us the Sabbath. It’s a gift. It’s not a luxury. While it’s commanded to honor the Sabbath, you still have a choice as to whether you accept it or not, but He gave it TO YOU, for YOUR rest, modeled after His own doing of the same.
This gift of the Sabbath is an invitation to pause, to set aside our daily tasks, and to rejuvenate. It's a day to reorient our focus back to God, celebrating His goodness and mercy. It's a time to recognize that while our work is important, it does not define us. Our worth comes from being children of God, not from our productivity or accomplishments.
Will you read that again?
Your worth is in HIM. Not what you accomplish or what gets done because ONLY you can do it.
It's in Him.
And if you tell me that you can’t take a Sabbath day because you have to run errands, go to sports games, finish that big project or whatever else you’ll come up with, I’ll just respond with this: I know. Me too. In this world, we ALL can say that.
But He tells us…if you’re looking for JOY and REST, it’s going to be in the day you prioritize EVERY WEEK as Sabbath. So, regardless of how busy or overwhelmed we might feel, let's prioritize Sabbath. This sacred pause in our week was designed to serve as a fortress of calm amidst life's storms, a haven where we are reminded of God's sovereignty, and our spirits are renewed. If you’re not taking it…you’re simply not accepting God’s best for your life.
The Gift Of A Sabbath
By: Lori Ennis
“If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the Lord’s holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words, then you will find your joy in the Lord…For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” Isaiah 58:13-14
I am busy.
Like, super busy. Ask anyone who knows me and they’ll tell you maybe ‘too busy’.
Even though I’m doing great things for God!
I bet you may be super busy too.
So I’ll ask you something God’s been asking me: “Are you using the day I gave you to REST to do what you want? Are you making excuses about not having time to take a true ‘Sabbath’ because you’re so busy doing My stuff? Are you tired, but not obeying me in TAKING MY DAY and making it holy?”
Ouch, right?
In our fast-paced world, where demands on our time and energy seem never-ending, the idea of Sabbath can feel like an elusive luxury. A luxury you just can’t indulge in because the world will collapse around you if you don’t.
May I share a secret?
It won’t. You’re just not that important.
OUCH again, I know.
The term Sabbath originates in the Hebrew word 'Shabbat,' meaning 'to cease' or 'to rest.' It is a concept introduced by God Himself in the creation narrative. After six days of forming the universe, God rested on the seventh day, setting a precedent for mankind (Genesis 2:2-3).
God GAVE us the Sabbath. It’s a gift. It’s not a luxury. While it’s commanded to honor the Sabbath, you still have a choice as to whether you accept it or not, but He gave it TO YOU, for YOUR rest, modeled after His own doing of the same.
This gift of the Sabbath is an invitation to pause, to set aside our daily tasks, and to rejuvenate. It's a day to reorient our focus back to God, celebrating His goodness and mercy. It's a time to recognize that while our work is important, it does not define us. Our worth comes from being children of God, not from our productivity or accomplishments.
Will you read that again?
Your worth is in HIM. Not what you accomplish or what gets done because ONLY you can do it.
It's in Him.
And if you tell me that you can’t take a Sabbath day because you have to run errands, go to sports games, finish that big project or whatever else you’ll come up with, I’ll just respond with this: I know. Me too. In this world, we ALL can say that.
But He tells us…if you’re looking for JOY and REST, it’s going to be in the day you prioritize EVERY WEEK as Sabbath. So, regardless of how busy or overwhelmed we might feel, let's prioritize Sabbath. This sacred pause in our week was designed to serve as a fortress of calm amidst life's storms, a haven where we are reminded of God's sovereignty, and our spirits are renewed. If you’re not taking it…you’re simply not accepting God’s best for your life.
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