“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.” — Exodus 20:8 (NIV84)

God created people in his own image. So besides the innate characteristics of love, grace, mercy, holiness and communication, we were endowed with the ability to create and work. God creates and works, and so do people. Adam and Eve were directed to work the garden and manage the earthly part of God’s creation. And all was good until the fall. The fall twisted everything that was good. Now, instead of working for the glory of God, people have the tendency to work for their own glory. Even if people are working to the glory of God, their sinful nature leads them toward compulsive traits when they work. The fact is we just won’t stop. Many of us would work day and night. Work somehow begins to define who we are. Sin always twists and distorts what was originally good in and of itself.

The Lord provided us the commandment to honor the Sabbath day. I believe that the Sabbath exists for two reasons. First, it provides us a day in which we can give honor and praise to the God who created us and provides for us the blessings we have. Whether the issue is tithing or dedicating 1 out of 7 days to the Lord, He is asking us to trust Him. He promises we will not be any less off because we give back to Him those things. The Sabbath provides us an opportunity to get reconnected to Him and to His people. Second, it provides us a time to rest. Just as God created for 6 days and rested on the 7th, we are commanded to do the same. God is not giving us this commandment to cramp our style and make our lives more difficult. He commands this practice because He knows it is for our own good. We need the rest. We need to time to recover and regroup.

For these two very important reasons, may we consistently choose to honor the Sabbath day.

Peace!

Pastor Tom

www.firmlyrooted.church