The Gift of Sabbath Rest (Part I)

south ridge church

Feb 6

(Begin with 1-2 minutes of silence)

Mark 2:27 "The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath."

Many people are able to recite at least 6-8 of the 10 Commandments. Do not kill. Do not steal. Do not worship any other gods. And so on. But do you know which of the 10 Commandments God provided the most explanation?

Interestingly, in Exodus 20 it's the one commandment in which many people today pay the least attention to. We may do our best to not steal, or murder, or worship other gods. But when it comes to setting aside an entire day every week for Sabbath rest, this is something many struggle to live out consistently.

We must remember that while obeying the Sabbath is a commandment, it wasn't given as a threat - "Obey the Sabbath, or else!" No. No. No. Instead, an entire day of Sabbath rest is a gift from God. He desires that we rest in Him. In fact, if you read the Creation account you'll see that each day begins with evening. God created us to begin each day by experiencing rest, and He longs for us to continually experience a deep sense of rest in Him.

READING & PRAYERS:

MATTHEW 12:1-8, EXODUS 20:8-11 (also read the commentary notes in your Study Bible of choice.)

QUESTION: The religious leaders in Jesus' day were more concerned with the commandment of Sabbath than they were the gift of Sabbath. Today, many struggle to see it as a commandment or a gift. How about you? Do you see Sabbath as a gift from God to be received?

Ask yourself: Is there really anything more important on your schedule than taking a full day each week to rest in God?

REAL LIFE PRACTICE: Begin to plan now for a full day of Sabbath rest sometime within the next week.

Take a Step: This week, continue to utilize the One Minute Pause app at least twice daily to begin practicing being with God and resting in His presence. The app is free, and is available on iPhone and Android devices. See pauseapp.com for details.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, too often I believe the lie that I'm too busy to rest in You. This week, continue to help me recognize that nothing is more important than experiencing Your rest. In Jesus' name. Amen.

(End with 1-2 minutes of silence)

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