As I've read through Exodus over the past week or so and I've noticed how much God informs, illustrates, and reminds His people about the importance and benefits of observing a Sabbath. God urges His people 6 times alone in Exodus to take this day off. It seems that observing a set Sabbath, not just a random day whenever you want, and benefits us more than just rest.
1. REST
This is the most obvious and stated benefit. Taking a day off gives our minds and bodies a rest from the week's work and recharges us for the days to follow. It reminds us that we are human and have limits. A day of rest prevents us from pushing past those limits causing fatigue, burnout, and illness. Stress, high blood pressure, heart attacks, depression, anxiety, worry and other physical and emotional illnesses would probably subside if we took more time to enjoy the day God has given us to enjoy Him. If God being all powerful even took a day off, by not doing it ourselves we are placing our abilities and capabilities above His.
2. RELIANCE and RESPONSIBILITY
This is a new one for me. Having to take a day off causes us to rely more on God's provision and be more responsible in preparing for that time off. In Exodus 16 God provides Manna for the Israelites to eat. He told them to gather only what they needed for each day. Then on the 6th day they were to gather twice as much and set aside a portion for the next day. The 7th day would be a day of rest. If they failed to be responsible and make provisions they would not eat on the Sabbath. In Exodus 23 God goes even further, taking the Sabbath beyond a day observance to a whole year. During the 7th year there was to be no cultivating, planting, or harvesting of the fields. Over the first six years the Israelites would have to plan for year seven in addition to year eight. Year eight could prove to be more difficult than year seven because there would have been no harvest from the previous year. So the people would have to rely on God's provision and be responsible enough with it to sustain through years seven and eight. This would mean no over indulging and self discipline at working to save in the years leading up to the Sabbath year. Always working can be a result of NOT relying on God's provision and NOT being responsible with what he's given us so we are unable to enjoy the day off.
Now look at our life and culture today. We are tired, sick, lacking, and wanting more. We work over to get more done, make up for what we haven't done, and to get more than we need. So we rarely take a consistent day of rest. It becomes a viscous cycle. And for me I feel super guilty for taking those days when they happen. I feel like a failure for not "accomplishing" anything on those days. As a result I rarely take them.
How would our life be different if we made sure that we observed a Sabbath? What if we took one day EVERY WEEK and said, "I'm staying in my PJ's all day."? What if we fully relied on God's provision and were responsible with it; using what we needed just for today and preserving some for the future? What if we disciplined ourselves to finish as much as possible the first six days and did nothing on the seventh. We would be healthier and without want. The Sabbath wasn't just set up as law for us to follow but to enjoy. So pick a day to stay in your PJ's all day, finish your to do list, make plans to have what you need for that day and enjoy a guiltless work free day of rest.
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