Then he said to them,
“This is what the LORD has said:
‘Tomorrow is a Sabbath rest,
a holy Sabbath to the LORD.
Bake what you will bake today,
and boil what you will boil;
and lay up for yourselves all that remains,
to be kept until morning.’
Exodus 16:23
LORD Jesus, we come before You to thank You that You have given us one day per week to rest. Enable us to diligently keep our focus on You. Guide us to set apart a portion of our lives just for You — not only during the weeks but also in the business of our days. Help us to give glory to You and to worship You alone. In Jesus’ precious name we pray. Amen.
Why celebrate Sabbath?
The verses from Sabbath Delight — Part 1 (Isaiah 58:13-14) reveal the reason for the Sabbath or at least what it should be: To delight ourselves in the LORD.
It’s not a matter of refraining from doing any kind of work. That is nearly impossible for the mom and keeper of the home, isn’t it? It is not forbidden and we know that we still need to change diapers, heat up the meal, wipe the table after dinner and so on.
The main call for the Sabbath is to rest, to delight in the LORD. Yes, it is a time of rest, but this is not the time to do as we please. It’s a day, not to seek our pleasure but one to honor God. As Isaiah 58:13 says, We will delight ourselves in the LORD — not going our own ways, nor seeking our own pleasure, nor speaking our own words.
Next week I’m going to share a few practical tips with you about how to prepare for Sabbath. So stay tuned, please.
This weekend I would like you to ask you:
Do you delight in the LORD your God?