“The Lord Blessed The Sabbath Day And Made It Holy”

“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

Exodus 20:8-11

After God’s people were liberated from Egypt, He gave them a commandment that would cause them to slow down and view Him and the world ‘in pause.” The fourth commandment introduced a dramatic contrast to the Israelites slavery under Pharaoh when they had no break in their daily routine.

The commandment insisted they set aside the “Sabbath” and on that day they were asked to remember a number of important things: God’s work in creation, their liberation from Egyptian bondage, their relationship to God, and their need for personal refreshment.

The Sabbath was not to be a day of laziness, but one where God’s people acknowledged, worshipped, and rested in Him.

We too are called to slow down, to be refreshed physically, mentally, and emotionally, and to behold God in His good creation.

Our Daily Bread – September 1, 2013

Living for God begins with resting in Him.