July 8
Remembering God
"Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days a week are set apart for your daily duties and regular work, but the seventh day is a day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God." (Exodus 20:8-9)
The Ten Commandments can be broken into two sections: the first four deal with our relationship with God, while the second six deal with our relationships with people. The last of the commandments regarding our relationship with God pertains to the Sabbath. The Sabbath day was something that was set aside for the Jewish people, a day in which they were to worship the Lord and rest from their labors. God was, in essence, saying to His people that they were to keep this day as a holy day to Him.
But I also believe that the Sabbath day was pointing to something more than a 24-hour period. In fact, the New Testament tells us, "For all who enter into God's rest will find rest from their labors, just as God rested after creating the world" (Hebrews 4:10). The rest the Sabbath pointed toward was a rest in a relationship with God in which we recognize that we do not have to do things to earn His approval, but have found it in what Christ has done for us.
In our modern society in which we work so hard for success, few people seem to take time off to remember God and to thank Him for all that He has done for them. We seem to be too busy for God - that is, until a crisis hits and we suddenly find time to ask for His help. Let's be sure we are taking time to honor God and to thank Him for all He has done for us.
Copyright (c) 2004 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright (c) 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.