The Sabbath: God's Gift to Us
All humans need rest. I know some people seem to need less than others, but we all need it. God designed us that way. When God created the world in 6 days, He rested on the 7th day. God did not need to rest, but He was teaching us that we need to rest. Therefore, He set aside the 7th day as a holy sabbath. Then, when He gave the Israelites manna to eat in the wilderness after escaping from Egypt, He taught them more about the Sabbath. They were to gather twice as much on the 6th day, and it would remain fresh for the 7th day, unlike the other days of the week. This was to emphasize their need for a day of rest. There was no need to leave their place and gather up the manna from the ground. (Exodus 16:29,20) I am not sure they realized the importance of God's gift, and I am sure many of us don't realize it today either.
Sunday is our Sabbath as Christians, so we commemorate Jesus' resurrection every week. However, many believers only think of it as a day to "go to church." It is almost an obligation for some, or at least, a habit. It should be a day set aside from normal activities and work, so we can rest and set our hearts on the Lord. Yes, worship can be very restful, if it is done out of sincere love. Fellowship with other believers can be very refreshing after 6 days of work. However, we need to physically rest as well. God designed us, and He based His Sabbath gift on one of our greatest needs. We need Him and physical rest each week to make sure we stay energized and in the center of His will. I pray that all of us will cherish the gift of the Sabbath and take the need for rest very seriously. It will be a great blessing then, as God intended it to be.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Exodus 17-19.
Sunday is our Sabbath as Christians, so we commemorate Jesus' resurrection every week. However, many believers only think of it as a day to "go to church." It is almost an obligation for some, or at least, a habit. It should be a day set aside from normal activities and work, so we can rest and set our hearts on the Lord. Yes, worship can be very restful, if it is done out of sincere love. Fellowship with other believers can be very refreshing after 6 days of work. However, we need to physically rest as well. God designed us, and He based His Sabbath gift on one of our greatest needs. We need Him and physical rest each week to make sure we stay energized and in the center of His will. I pray that all of us will cherish the gift of the Sabbath and take the need for rest very seriously. It will be a great blessing then, as God intended it to be.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Exodus 17-19.