Rest

"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

One of my favorite series to read when I was growing up was the Little House books written by Laura Ingalls Wilder.  Since I loved animals and wanted to live on a big farm, I enjoyed Farmer Boy most of all.  One of the chapters in this story of the author's future husband's childhood described how the family spent the Sabbath.  Every Sunday they would attend church services but the kids were not allowed to run or laugh or talk loudly.  Once they finished their midday meal, the family would literally do nothing all afternoon.  The kids would be forced to sit idly by, bored out of their minds, as the adults dozed in their chairs.  

I always felt sorry for those siblings that grew up with such a strict understanding of how to celebrate the Sabbath.  Instead of it being a day to look forward to with lots of rest and recuperation, it became a day to dread.

While I don't know anyone in this day and age that takes such a harsh view of the Sabbath, it does seem that the pendulum has swung in the other direction.  In our fast-paced world, we tend to ignore it all together.  We rationalize that there is only so much time in a week, and we must maximize our time if we're to get everything done.  

Instead of treating Sundays like any other day, think about the following.

Benefit

The Pharisees were experts in the Law.  Not only did they know God's Word, but they had compiled their own sets of rules to "help" others obey the commandments God had passed down to His people.  Whenever they noticed someone breaking any one of the numerous Jewish regulations, these men were quick to point it out.

Therefore, when they observed Jesus and His disciples picking some heads of grain one Sabbath day, these policemen of sorts were delighted to put Jesus in His place.  "Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?"  (Mark 2:24)  They were sure they had trapped Jesus this time.  What would He be able to say because He was clearly "working" on the day of rest!

Instead of getting drawn into an argument, however, Jesus pointed out the fact that the Sabbath was made for our health and well-being, not as a means by which to judge people.  Instead of using the fourth commandment to condemn others, it's meant to be used for our own good.  In other words, the mandate to rest on the seventh day is not to become more important than the people who it was designed to benefit.

If one family chooses to use the Sabbath to go on a picnic and enjoy the outdoors, it's their choice.  Some families might draw rest from raking leaves together in the crisp, cool of an Autumn day.  Whereas others might judge this as work, the family in question might see it as fun and restful.  While one might think going out to eat is the thing to do, another might see napping at home as the best way to spend their afternoon.

However I choose to spend my day, I must be careful not to look down on what my brothers or sisters decide to do.  Instead, I would be wise to take it for the reason for which it was created: to give me some much-needed rest.

The Sabbath was created for the benefit of God's people.

Holy

The shutters were closed and the doors were locked.  Anyone who walked down the street in my home town forty years ago would know that Sunday was a day that was different than any other day:  Most businesses took a day off and little commerce took place on the Sabbath.  The peeling of the church bells could be heard, calling people to services.  People often went for Sunday drives, enjoying the countryside and each other's company.  The pace was slower and more relaxed than on any other day of the week.

Today, things have changed.  It is rare to see a business closed on Sunday and many people think of the day as a time to catch up on all the work that has been left undone during the week.  Others think that as long as they go to church, they've fulfilled the commandment.  It could be these believers are missing the point and losing out on all the benefits that are meant to come from observing the Sabbath.

When God commanded that we keep the Sabbath holy, He meant that it is to be set apart and different from all other days.  When my pace is just as quick, or I work just as hard, or I'm just as focused on my to-do-list on Sundays, then it is no different from any other day.  Instead, I am challenged to dedicate the day to God for His use and spend the time in ways that honor Him.  

If He calls me to spend the day building relationships with my family, I would honor God by playing games with my children and husband.  If He inspires me to go on a leisurely outing, I would please God by visiting the zoo.  If He desires that I spend a rare day on the couch, it would do His heart good to see me reading the paper and laughing with my family as we share a movie together.

However I spend my days, Sundays are created to look different than the rest of the week.

Faith

"We want to work up to giving a full ten percent.  Once we get some of our bills paid off, we will tithe."  I have heard this sentiment expressed many times, and my husband and I used to think the same way.  What we didn't realize was that God gave a direct command to give the first fruits of our labor.  This is not voluntary nor does it only apply to those who have surplus income to give.  Instead, it is an instruction that reveals the depth of my faith.

While I may believe I am no longer bound by the command to tithe, I am called to a higher mission:  I am expected to give generously with a cheerful heart!  (2 Corinthians 9:7)  Since God set the bar in the Old Testament at 10%, it seems God desires that I give at least that, and possibly more as He transforms my heart of stone into a more sensitive heart of flesh. (Malachi 3:8-10, Ezekiel 36:26)  

When I give thanks as I place my tithe into the basket on Sunday morning, unsure if I will have enough to pay my bills, I am proving to God that I trust Him enough to obey Him.  In the same way that my money supply is limited, I only have been given a certain amount of time.  While I may think I don't have enough to accomplish all my work and still give one-seventh of it back to Him, I am betraying my lack of faith in Him when I fail to rest on the Sabbath.

Setting a day aside for God proves to Him that I trust Him enough to provide the grace that makes six days enough for what needs to get done.  If I doubt I can get by on only six days-worth of time, then I am betraying my lack of confidence in the One who created me to have a day of rest.  Trusting God enough to give one day back to Him is a test of faith that will be rewarded in abundant grace.

Setting aside the Sabbath as different than all the other days takes a step of faith in the One who created all things.

In this modern day and age, it is common to ignore the command to observe the Sabbath as old and out of date.  God, however, does not change and He made us with a need for rest.  Therefore, I would be wise to realize the benefit found in instituting a day of rest that looks different from all the rest.  When I do so, I am proving my faith in the One who loves me and knows what is best for me.  Then I can face the week ahead with refreshment and a renewed sense of spirit, all because I took God at His word and observed a day of rest.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can realize the importance of rest.

When does my work-ethic make it difficult for me to take some time off?

How do I dishonor God in the way I treat Sunday as any other day?

The Difference

"They are to teach my people

the difference between 

holy and the common

and show them how to distinguish between 

the unclean and the clean."

Ezekiel 44:23

Holy.  Even the word seems set apart and special.  It is a word that the winged creatures covered in eyes and seen in John's vision of the throne in heaven sang over and over again, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come." (Revelation 4:8)  I have a sense that holy means sacred and hallowed; but what do I really know of holy?  

Listen to and meditate on the lyrics of the Addison Road song of the same name.

As Jenny Simmons sings, "I think I've made You too small, I never feared you at all."  What do I really know of "holy" and how does it affect the way I live my life as a follower of Christ?

Sabbath

I rush from one activity to the next, always aware of the time and how quickly it is slipping from my grasp.  How will I finish all these tasks?  Maybe I'll have to do a little on Sunday, just so I don't fall behind. We've all been there.  Life moves at warp speed and many times I feel as if I can't keep up.

When Moses carried the tablets engraved by the finger of God with His Ten Commandments, the fourth law on the list proclaimed to, "Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the LORD your God has commanded you.  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. . . ." (Deuteronomy 5:12-14)

As one who desires to please God in all I do and who has the benefit of God's Spirit dwelling within, I want to follow this command.  His day is special, different from all other days, free from toil and labor, set apart for Him.  

It seems observing the Sabbath is similar to tithing: Both take a certain amount of faith that God will make what time or money I have left after giving the required amount enough to finish my work and pay my bills.  Six days should be enough to finish all that my life has for me to do.  Ninety percent of my income should be enough to provide for my household.  But what if it's not enough?

Faith is being certain of what I do not see, or cannot comprehend.  (Hebrews 11:1)  If I want to please God I must trust Him that six days are enough, and that 90% is sufficient.  Without faith, it is impossible to please God.  If I can't bring myself to rest on Sunday, my faith is lacking, and I am displeasing God.

Part of the difference Jesus makes in my life is that my Sabbath is holy.

Name

"What's in a name?  That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet."  (Romeo and Juliet, Scene II, lines 45-46)

Juliet loved her dear Romeo, but tragically, he belonged to the family of her relatives' enemy.  She, however, loved him despite his unfortunate ancestral lineage.  His name meant nothing to her; it was he that she wanted.

In contrast, God's name does mean something. It is more than just a title or label, rather it is a part of who He is.  Herman Hoeksema attempts to shed some light on the significance of God's name in his book, Reformed Dogmatics.  "The Name of God is His Being, not as He is in Himself, but as He is revealed to us."  There is no way my tiny mind can fully comprehend God, but His name, in part, gives some enlightenment to His essence. 


By knowing God's name, we have some idea of Who He is, but L. Berkhof goes further by explaining in Systemic Theology that, "The names of God are not of human invention, but of divine origin though they are all borrowed from human language, and derived from human and earthly relations."  God gives Himself a name that we can understand and relate to, but it falls far short from doing His character and being justice.  He transcends a mere word.  Still, in order for someone to be known, I must have something by which to call him. 


I can look to scripture for examples of how to treat God's name.  The LORD is described in Isaiah 57:15 as, "he who lives forever, whose name is holy."  David encouraged us to, "Praise his holy name." (Psalm 30:4) He also encouraged his people in 1 Chronicles 16:10 and 35 to, "Glory in his holy name," and to, "give thanks to (his) holy name."  Each time, His Name is described as being "holy."


The name of the LORD is one of the ways God reveals Himself to us, is a word we can use to try to understand Him, at least in part, and can be used to give praise, thanks and glory to Him. Clearly, God's name is special.


Consequently, using His name in a common way is offensive to God, to say the least.  


When I exclaim, "Oh my God!" when I see something funny or surprising, I am denigrating His Name, and thus God Himself.  When I use God's Name to give validity to an oath I'm taking, I am lowering His Name, in turn disrespecting Him.  When I flippantly talk about God as if He were a mere human, I am showing a lack of respect for Him.  


Part of the difference that Jesus makes in my life is that I make an effort to treat God's Name as holy.

Temple

 The redness started in His cheeks and spread until it covered His entire face.  An ever-so-slight pulsating movement could be detected near his brows.  His eyes swept back and forth, taking in the scene.  Cattle and sheep munched on hay as they waited patiently, tied to the temple pillars.  The sound of the cooing of dozens of doves perched in cages lining the wall filled the air.  Worshipers filed past the tables set up for the convenience of transacting the sales of all these animals.  How dare they treat my Father's house in such a lowly, common way, as if it were a mere marketplace!  (John 2:13-16)  

Jesus demonstrated the level of respect that He held for the dwelling place of His Father's Spirit.  The temple was not simply a building.  Instead, it was the place where one could go to find God.  It was a representation of His presence among His people, both when they wandered in the desert and when the more permanent temple was built and dedicated by Solomon.  

Under the new covenant of grace offered out of God's great love for me, there is another temple where God's Spirit constantly stays with His people. The Apostle Paul teaches by asking, "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?  You are not your own; you were bought at a price.  Therefore honor God with your body."  (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

Treating my body, therefore, as common, like everyone else in the world who does not know Jesus treats their body, goes against this teaching.  This lesson spills over into my beliefs about sexual purity and what I do and do not allow as acceptable for me.  As Paul said, "Flee from sexual immorality.  All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body."  (1 Corinthians 6:18) I can easily justify my actions with the claim that everyone else does it, so it can't be that bad.  Or I could say it's not that big a deal.  Even watching the blatant sexuality permeating our modern entertainment is just a part of the world we live in, right?  I can't really be expected to stay away from it, or am I?

My standard is to please God, and everything I do must be driven by that desire.   The way I dress, both the amount and kinds of food that I consume, the care I give my body, the kinds of entertainment of which I partake, all reflect on the One Who inhabits it's structure.  I treat my body as special not because I am special, but because God is special.  

Part of the difference that Jesus makes in my life is that my body, as the temple of the Spirit of the living God, is to be treated as holy.  

God is a holy God.   As His child, I am also called to be holy.  Some of the ways I abide by His holiness is in the way I treat the Sabbath, His Name and His Temple.  

What do I really know of holy?

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I may consider God's holiness, seeking to revere Him in all that I do.

How do I treat Sunday as any other day, using it as a time to play catch up?

What are some ways I could begin to show honor to God in the way I use His name?

Conduit of Grace

"You will know that I am the LORD,

when I deal with you for 

my name's sake

and not according to your evil ways

and your corrupt practices, O house of Israel,

declares the Sovereign LORD."

Ezekiel 20:44

"He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree,

so that we might die to sins

and live for righteousness; 

by his wounds you have been healed."

1 Peter 2:24

Serial killer Ted Bundy was executed on January 24, 1989.   On January 25, 1971 Charles Manson received a sentence of life in prison where he continues to live today.  Italian Dictator Benito Mussolini was executed by firing squad on April 29, 1945.  Dictator and mass murderer Saddam Hussein was hung on December 30, 2006.

We know how to deal with someone whose sin is so blatantly evil.  Justice is served swiftly and surely, without hesitation or question. It's easy to know the punishment that they deserve. 

If God treated my sin the same way, I could not stand.  My pattern of rebellion and unfaithfulness is similar to that of the nation of Israel.  I deserve death because of my sin. . . but God sent His Son to serve out my death sentence so that I might live.

I'm not so bad,though, am I?  Compared to the mass murderers listed above, I'm pretty good.  But God isn't looking for pretty good.  His standard is perfection. . . and I fall far short.  I am not so different from the Israelites whose pattern of rebellion and unfaithfulness was consistent throughout history.  Thankfully, He doesn't choose us according to our merit.  He chose us according to His great love and for His namesake.

God's Law

There is a stop sign in our neighborhood that is mostly ignored.  Most drivers simply roll right through it, failing to understand it's purpose.  One day, my daughters were walking a group of children home when the reason for this stop sign became excruciatingly clear: a driver failed to stop and was forced to slam on his brakes to keep from running down those who were in his path.  With all the young people in the neighborhood, stop signs are important for slowing down the flow of traffic and keeping drivers alert to their surroundings. The seemingly useless signs save lives. 

All laws are designed for a purpose.  Those who obey the rules are showing respect for the makers of the law and their judgement, trusting that there was a good reason for them to create that rule.    

I understand and agree with some of God's rules .  Don't Kill.  Don't lie.  Don't steal.  I have witnessed the pain committing these acts can cause to those innocently caught in the fallout.  It makes sense to me that God put those commandments into place.

Others are more difficult to understand and carry out.  Love my enemies.  Turn the other cheek.  Vengeance belongs to God.  These are the ones I have a more difficult time obeying.  My lack of understanding of the purpose for these laws does not annul their existence.  I am not exempt from loving those who are trying to hurt me just because I don't agree with the premise.  If I claim Jesus as my Lord, I must trust that He had a reason for creating this rule.  When I obey Him without agreeing, I am demonstrating my respect and deference to Him as Lord of my life.

I am much like the Israelites who failed to pay attention to God's laws.  They may have followed some of them, but they didn't take Him or all of His law seriously.  Instead, they did things their way, angering God.  

I am no better.  Thankfully, God does not deal with me according to my practices and hard heart.  Instead, He sent Jesus as a conduit of grace, delivering salvation to me through simple faith in Jesus. 

My lack of adherence to God's law earns me a death sentence, but Jesus' sacrifice offers me the assurance of everlasting life.  

Sabbath

"I can't get all my work done in six days. . .I need Sunday to play catch-up. . .  I feel guilty not doing any work. . .  I have so many things I want to do, I can't put them off for another day. . .  The Sabbath law no longer applies; it is old an archaic. . . God doesn't mind if Sunday looks the same as any other day."  These are all excuses I can use to break the Sabbath.

Here is what God says about it.  He said, "Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the LORD you God has commanded you.  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. . . " (Deuteronomy 5:12-14)

The Sabbath is not so much about me, but about God.  As one of His people, the way I live my life reflects on Him.  By keeping the Sabbath, I am showing His holiness to the people around me.  I am demonstrating His separation from a dark and sinful world.  I am exhibiting how He is above all things.  

God said in Ezekiel 20:20  to "keep my Sabbath days holy, for they are a sign to remind you that I am the LORD your God." (NLT)  

It is easy for my life to become just like those around whom I live, just as it was for the Israelites.  God called His people to be set apart from the nations around them.  As a follower of Christ and member of His body, I am also called to be different.  

One of the ways I can point to God with my life is to stand out like a sore thumb by resting on Sunday.  No work.  No running errands. No darting from activity to activity.  No chores.  Whatever it is I do Monday through Saturday should stop on Sunday.  In this way, I set myself apart and glorify God with my life.

My unwillingness to keep the Sabbath holy earns me God's wrath, but the grace of God that is found through the death of Christ has quenched that anger.

One and Only God

I love watching children singing in a group. The choir director stands in front as the young choir members file quietly onto the risers, forming rows of smartly dressed and neatly coiffed singers.  Some of the children keep their eyes riveted to the choir director.  Others get distracted by the children around them, whispering secrets in each other's ears.  Still others scan the crowd for their parents, sneaking in waves and smiles to them during the entire performance.  

The way I live my life is similar.  I am dressed in my finest, ready to give the performance of a lifetime. I have the best intentions of pleasing God.  Then I get distracted by selfish desires or minor irritations.  I take my eyes of my Savior and get off task, forgetting why I'm here.  Other times I revel in the position God has placed me, attempting to garner attention for myself instead of accomplishing the mission to which God has called me.  

God is like my choir director.  He wants my single-minded and constant attention.  I, however, am like the Israelites who constantly turned to idols and other gods, replacing the One True God with other things that became more important. 

My unfaithfulness to God as my One True Love earns me the title of Enemy of God, but this infidelity was also borne on the tree, giving me the freedom to become a part of His family.

Despite my resemblance to the nation of Israel who constantly disobeyed God's Law, failed to set apart the Sabbath, and whose eyes strayed to idols and gods, I am not treated as my sins deserve.  Instead, God has redeemed me for His namesake through the sacrifice of His One and Only Son.

As one who has been reconciled, it is my heart's desire to please God in all that I do.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I will strive to keep God at the forefront of my attention.

How do show that I have forgotten the amazing grace that saved me from my rightful punishment?

How do I take this astounding grace for granted and fail to live my life in a way that pleases God?

Lure or Repellent?

"Our actions will show that we belong to the truth,

so we will be confident when we stand before God."

1 John 3:19 NLT

Eric Liddell was an athlete and missionary to China whose Olympic track experiences were made into a 1981 movie called, "Chariots of Fire."  He knew the importance of walking the Christian walk, not just preaching about it.  When it came time to compete in his best event, the 100-yard race during the 1924 Olympics, he declined because the finals were scheduled to be held on a Sunday.  Out of reverence for God and his commandments, he switched to the 400-yard race in order to honor God by keeping the Sabbath holy.  

This decision made Eric the focus of much animosity in his home country of Scotland.  Some publicly called him a traitor for dropping out of a race he was destined to win.  In their eyes, he had let their country down.  But Eric's love for God and his passion to glorify Him was more important than any medal he could win for his country. 

Eric knew what it meant to, "do (everything) as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father." (Colossians 3:17 NLT)  He claimed that, "We are all missionaries.  Wherever we go, we either bring people nearer to Christ, or we repel them from Christ." 

Do my actions serve as a lure or a repellent?

Listen Well

Most of the time when I am listening to someone else talk, I am directing at least half of my attention toward what I will say next instead of in trying to understand what the speaker is saying.  This can cause a problem.

Not many people speak just to hear the sound of their own voices.  Rather, they say things in order to get their point across, to be understood and to be heard.  If I am not listening with the goal of understanding but am instead focusing on what I have to say, people will lose their trust in me as a listener.  No one, including my family members, will come to me for comfort during a time of trouble and I will have lost the opportunity to point them to God for encouragement, wisdom and peace.

James 1:17 instructs me to be, "quick to listen, slow to speak. . ."  It's so easy to give advice, counseling others on how they should handle their problems.  But my greatest need is to be understood.  Sometimes, the help I am so quick to offer is not really desired.  

It's like what Philip Stanhope, the Earl of Chesterfield said during the 1700's.  "Many a man would rather you heard his story than granted his request."

My desire to hear and understand others will serve to draw people nearer to Christ.

Slow to Anger

Laurence J. Peter, 20th Century educator and author of the Peter Principle, said, "Speak when you're angry--and you'll make the best speech you'll ever regret."

I have regretted many a speech in my lifetime.  James not only advised in James 1 to focus more on listening to others, but he also said to be, "slow to get angry.  Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires." (v19-20)

Anger can rise up when my rights have been violated, when my expectations haven't been met or when I've been hurt.  Once anger rises, self-control and rational thought go out the window.  No good can come out of anger of this kind.

If my life is going to serve as a beacon of light in a dark world, I must let go of my selfish desire to be treated with respect by all people, for my expectations to always be met and for my feelings to never be hurt.  Focusing on me and my desires makes for an easily angered person.  Focusing on God and His master plan puts things into perspective and gives me a better outlook.  

My desire to see situations in the light of God's plan will dissipate anger and serve to draw people to Christ.

Control the Tongue

When I was a child, my neighbor let my sister and I ride their horse, "Pawny."  She was a bit ornery, but we had fun just the same.  It always amazed me how we could control this giant beast by placing a tiny bit in her mouth.  She may not want to go where we led her, but she gladly complied once the pressure was placed on her sensitive mouth through the bit .

In the same way my tongue is, "a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts.  Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark." (James 3:5)  Words are important; they can either be used to build up or to tear down.  

As powerful as the tongue is, it can be controlled. James claimed that, "If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless." (James 1:26)  All the work I do, all the knowledge and wisdom I attain, all the sermons I preach with my life can be undone by a loose and destructive tongue.

Many times I think controlling my tongue is out of the question, but I must consider the words of the angel Gabriel, "For nothing is impossible with God." (Luke 1:37)

God will give me the power to control my tongue so that other's will be drawn nearer to Christ.

My actions speak louder than words.  As I live my life in front of others as a testimony of God's love, may I learn to be a good listener, be slow to anger, and trust God for the strength to control my tongue.  In these ways, my life will serve as a lure, drawing others to Christ.

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I will trust in you to protect me instead of thinking I need to defend myself, consequently using my tongue in destructive ways.

How do focus on getting my thoughts across more than trying to understand another's ideas?

How does my tongue set a fire, damaging those I love the most?