“Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 You have six days each week for your ordinary work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the LORD your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you. For in six days the LORD made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day, he rested. That is why the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy”. – Exodus 20: 8-11 NIRV
This month, I have made a commitment for the next 90 days. I will try to do something that I have never done – honor the Sabbath as God intended, as He prescribed in the Ten Commandments. Thus far, it has been one of the hardest things I have ever done. Why is that? Because it’s only in recent years that I have learned how to rest (I am still a recovering busy person) because the stress was negatively affecting my health; and because I still don’t know how to just do nothing and intentionally plan my time to honor the Sabbath. Perhaps you have that same issue. But why does it matter? Although given in the Old Testament, many people mistake honoring the Sabbath as one of the fulfilled laws that we are no longer subject to, when in reality it is not. The Ten Commandments are a standard and principle for living that goes beyond the law. Yet, again. Why? Simply put, God rested and so should His creation.
Honoring the Sabbath day is stressed throughout the Bible as something that God deemed important. The Sabbath is one of the main prescriptions to a healthy and balanced life, i.e. emotionally, spiritually, mentally, and physically. So much so that is was a mandate practiced by God at the conclusion of His work during creation. But even beyond rest, God prescribed the Sabbath as a holy day to honor and worship Him. He also intended for us to refrain from work, to assemble with family/friends, and so much more. He gave the command for everyone; male and female – human and animal. It was for our benefit then and it is for our benefit now.
In a world that is always “on” 24/7 and demands far more than we can handle, it is even more important that we build in a time each week to honor God, worship, and to truly rest. Our health, physically, emotionally, and even spiritually depends on it. Moving and doing constantly without rest is not of God. In fact, that same busyness is not of God and it goes against His commandment.
I will not get into the semantics of which day should be honored with the Sabbath (that is another theological discourse), but I will say that a Sabbath day should be honored. So no matter how hard it has been for me, I do not work on my Sabbath, I do not cook on my Sabbath nor anything else God prohibited. Instead, I rest. I worship Him, and I enjoy my family. As it should be. Hopefully, you will take the time to do the same.
Walk With Him,
Shaniqua Rischer
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