Monday, June 18, 2012

Sabbath

sabbath |ˈsabəθ|
noun
1 (often the Sabbath) a day of religious observance and abstinence from work, kept by Jews from Friday evening to Saturday evening, and by most Christians on Sunday.

On the seventh day, God rested.

He took time to rest. He has given us minds and bodies and hearts that need rest. And He has given us a specific time in which to do so. God separated us from animals. He gave us working brains and hearts that are tender like His. In the same way we are made in His image and therefore we have a day of rest.

The Sabbath represents delight and refreshment in the presence of God and each other. The Sabbath is a day to rest and relax in order to better serve God in our actions and work the rest of the week. We wake up every day to a world we did not make and a relationship with God that we do not deserve. Our need to be busy and productive takes away and invades the space God cut out for us to rest!

God gave us the Sabbath to say, "Stop and be refreshed in my rest."

He replenishes us. He nourishes us with His faithfulness and His community.

We do not belong here.
This is not our home.
We do not serve a kingdom ruled by the clock and the tyranny of the urgent.
We serve a God who refreshes us and gives us rest.