Feb. 24: Rest Day

God has given you and me a great gift. I often forget to unwrap and enjoy it. What about you?

God told His people early on, “don’t forget to keep the seventh day of the week set apart from the others as a day of rest. Work and get everything done during six days each week, but the seventh day is a day of rest to honor the Lord your God. The reason is that in six days the Lord made everything--the sky, the earth, the sea, and everything in them. On the seventh day he rested. So the Lord blessed the Day of Rest, set it apart and made it special. (Exodus 20:8, 10-11, paraphrased)

“Keeping the Sabbath” was never intended to be a legalistic burden, but a blessing! Jesus reminds us, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath." (Mark 2:27-28, NIV)
I like the way The Message puts it: "The Sabbath was made to serve us; we weren't made to serve the Sabbath. The Son of Man is no lackey to the Sabbath. He's in charge!" (Mark 2:27-28, MSG)

We work ourselves to death. I recently read an article that showed statistically how Americans work more hours a week and more weeks a year than any other industrialized nation. We get less vacation time, and don’t take the time off we are allowed. Jeremiah the Jewish Prophet described his people’s captivity in the Book of Lamentations (5:5): “With a yoke on our necks we are hard driven; we are weary, we are given no rest.”

We have become slaves to our jobs and even our “down time” is full of activity. Have we forgotten how to rest? We enslave ourselves when we fail to take a Sabbath. Hear the words of Jesus: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30, NIV)

Again, I like the way The Message paraphrases it: "Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me— watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly." (Matthew 11:28-30)

~ Father, thank you for a Day of Rest. Help me to slow down, and honor You and bless myself by unplugging from the rush. Help me today to be still and know You. Amen.