Exodus 16;30
“So the people rested on the seventh day.”
God’s love for us is great. I’m certain that most of the great things He does for us (or has done), we will never know in this life. It may be the way we were created or things He does in our daily lives. Giving us a day of rest is a blessing for the people.
The Hebrews were an enslaved people. They worked when they were told. Resting wasn’t part of their lives. God is now instituting a weekly, national day of rest.
How does the sabbath benefit the people? We all need rest. Some take it, others don’t. Those that have never learned how to rest will begin. Some machines in factories continually run. As long as they function at their designed pace and are maintenanced properly, this is fine. Scientists have tried to study sleep. Like the machine, they have tried to see if people could function, if rested without sleep. They can’t. This sleeping rest is required. Having down time is important. If we don’t build it into our schedules, we will unconsciously take it. We will run out of motivation and will be forced to slow down. An exhausted athlete will need to stop or slow down. It is better to build into our schedules some time of rest.
Rest not only benefits us physically, but mentally. Our tired state, could be a mental one. If our task is mental, versus physical labor, then we will need a break from mental tasks.
There is a benefit to the entire nation taking the same rest. Some may be stressed that their business is taking a day off, while our competitor isn’t. This worry is eliminated. This is more of a lack of a negative. Positive reasons are families are spending time together. Friends get together. There is a great social dynamic that is forged. The Jewish people have survived a very long time. They are an industrious, successful people. The main reason is that God has given them favor. This sabbath rest may be another reason. By being rested, their creativity and drive (etc.) may be greater.
Another reason for the sabbath is for the people to slow down and focus on God. While they knew they had a godly heritage, the four hundred years of slavery put bad things into their lives. God has set them aside and starting from scratch. This sabbath rest gives them time to slow down and look up.
My small group was going through a book which advocated a sabbath. The book didn’t dictate when, but they encouraged a sabbath. We are a week into it. We agreed upon sundown Saturday to sundown Sunday. I see it as a time to set aside work and school work. I sat down with hours left over. I took a drive down to the beach. It was nice. My work got done eventually. I’m not doing it legalistically. God won’t frown on me if I don’t do it. It’s a good idea. We’ll see where this goes.
The Hebrews were an enslaved people. They worked when they were told. Resting wasn’t part of their lives. God is now instituting a weekly, national day of rest.
How does the sabbath benefit the people? We all need rest. Some take it, others don’t. Those that have never learned how to rest will begin. Some machines in factories continually run. As long as they function at their designed pace and are maintenanced properly, this is fine. Scientists have tried to study sleep. Like the machine, they have tried to see if people could function, if rested without sleep. They can’t. This sleeping rest is required. Having down time is important. If we don’t build it into our schedules, we will unconsciously take it. We will run out of motivation and will be forced to slow down. An exhausted athlete will need to stop or slow down. It is better to build into our schedules some time of rest.
Rest not only benefits us physically, but mentally. Our tired state, could be a mental one. If our task is mental, versus physical labor, then we will need a break from mental tasks.
There is a benefit to the entire nation taking the same rest. Some may be stressed that their business is taking a day off, while our competitor isn’t. This worry is eliminated. This is more of a lack of a negative. Positive reasons are families are spending time together. Friends get together. There is a great social dynamic that is forged. The Jewish people have survived a very long time. They are an industrious, successful people. The main reason is that God has given them favor. This sabbath rest may be another reason. By being rested, their creativity and drive (etc.) may be greater.
Another reason for the sabbath is for the people to slow down and focus on God. While they knew they had a godly heritage, the four hundred years of slavery put bad things into their lives. God has set them aside and starting from scratch. This sabbath rest gives them time to slow down and look up.
My small group was going through a book which advocated a sabbath. The book didn’t dictate when, but they encouraged a sabbath. We are a week into it. We agreed upon sundown Saturday to sundown Sunday. I see it as a time to set aside work and school work. I sat down with hours left over. I took a drive down to the beach. It was nice. My work got done eventually. I’m not doing it legalistically. God won’t frown on me if I don’t do it. It’s a good idea. We’ll see where this goes.
While this benefits us, this is laying something aside for The Lord. He will reward this. He is amazing about this. Micah 3:10 addresses the blessing of those who tithe. While the sabbath isn’t tithing, He blesses giving of any sort. ‘“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,” says the LORD of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows.’
Lord, thank You that the things You ask of us are the best for us. Help us to take the necessary rest and pray that good things will come of it.