Sabbath Keeping
Sabbath Keeping
The Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and everything in them in six days; then He rested on the seventh day. (Exod. 20:11)
One day I woke up with a terrible pain in my chest. I thought I was having a heart attack. My husband was frightened; he bundled me up and took me to the doctor. The diagnosis? Acid reflux, probably stress induced. After instructions from my doctor on stress management, I left her office armed with pills and dietary restrictions.
Having recently returned to work full-time, I no longer have much time to relax. At home, chores beckon, laundry duty calls, and empty stomachs wait impatiently for the meals I prepare. And Sundays, the Lord’s day, are not much better. My responsibilities at church overwhelm me at times. But this little setback is His reminder that I must rest and “remember the Sabbath day” (Exod. 20:8). God knows that refreshment is necessary, and relaxation is key.
It may be difficult to shift my focus from the tyranny of the urgent. But next Sunday, after worshipping my Creator, I’m going for a walk in the park, noticing the clouds, the ants, the beavers in the pond. Then I’ll play with my kids, and later I’ll take a nap!
God told the Israelites to honor His day. In Exodus 31:15, He said, “Work may be done for six days, but on the seventh day there must be a Sabbath of complete rest, dedicated to the Lord.” They were to do no work on the Sabbath, collect no manna on the Sabbath, light no fire on the Sabbath. Animals and slaves rested too.
Refreshment is life and health, prescribed by our Master Physician. Busyness, stress, and anxiety are killers. So within God’s good guidelines, do things to promote life and health on the Sabbath.