Greek church Sabbath rest

Four Reasons We Should Honor the Sabbath Rest Today

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Early last Sunday morning I pondered my great need to finish edits on my novel and wondered if God would give me a pass on Sabbath rest. He didn’t, and I spent a quiet day of intentional rest, instead. I asked the same question I ask a lot on Sunday morning. Why should we honor the Sabbath? Here are four good reasons to intentionally take time to rest.

1. Rest prepares us to do the work we set aside.

Monday morning, in a moment of extreme clarity, I realized the rest I embraced last weekend cleared my mind and refreshed my body for the hard mental exertion of the week to come. I awakened full of energy and ready to do the work I’d set aside.

I worked from home most of this past week. For long hours every day, I reviewed, edited, changed, edited some more. This is the final round—I hope, and, after more than three years of writing, I’m ready to finish. Last night, close to 8 pm, I reached the end. I still need to go back to the last pages I covered to confirm my edits, but this part of the work is done. Next, I write a proposal and send it to my agent. He reviews the proposal and, if no changes are needed, uses it to sell the book to a publisher.

The rest last weekend prepared me to do the work of the week ahead.

2. Sabbath rest as an act of obedience is more important than my busyness.

This Sunday my first thought was of Sabbath rest again. The next, of the proposal I need to write. My to-do list is insanely long. A miracle is needed to get it all done, especially the part that needs to be done this week.

I wondered, for a moment, if I could work on the proposal this afternoon, but didn’t bother to ask. The answer to that foolish question is no.

Busyness as an act of disobedience is not blessed work.

I choose to rest.

3. Sacrificial rest is a form of worship.

Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines “worship,” a verb, as an act of honor or reverence. Obeying God’s command to honor the Sabbath it is an act of reverence and respect to Him. It’s a form of worship.

4. Obedience to the Sabbath brings blessings.

I wrote this last week (The Benefits of Sabbath Rest) but it’s worth remembering. “The simple act of obedience in Sabbath rest yields delight, abundant provision, authority, and influence as well as blessings for those who bless you and curses on your enemies. They’re blessings worth having, aren’t they?

I choose Sabbath rest. After church, my planned afternoon includes playtime with the dogs, a walk, a book to read, and time spent watching the ducks on the lake. It does not include work on proposals, cleaning bathrooms, or sorting through papers. My inactivity is not due to laziness, but faithfulness.

God blesses obedience; He makes rest worth it. (Isaiah 58:13-14)

Let’s continue our worship all week long by choosing rest as an act of obedience and thanking Him for the blessings it will bring.

“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work…” Exodus 20:8-10

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_column_text]Here are a few more posts you might enjoy: The Benefits of Sabbath Rest 

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