If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath
Isaiah 58:13-14 NIV
and from doing as you please on my holy day,
if you call the Sabbath a delight
and the LORD’S holy day honorable,
and if you honor it by not going your own way
and not doing as you please or speaking idle words,
then you will find your joy in the LORD,
and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights of the land
and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.”
For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.
The Sabbath is the seventh day of the week, Saturday. And it is described in the Old Testament as a day of rest. Honoring, or observing, the Sabbath allowed time to rest and recharge for the coming week. And, just as important, it allowed people to spend time with God, away from the business of the rest of the week.
Most Christians I know do not honor the Sabbath. Instead, we worship on the first day of the week in memory of Jesus’ resurrection. And with a five-day workweek, we do not necessarily need the Sabbath as a day of rest. But I wonder if Isaiah’s words here about the Sabbath are not something we should make a part of our Lord’s day?
What would it be like if we gave the Lord more than an hour or two of the day? If we considered the day holy and dedicated it to the Lord? Would we be drawn closer to our Lord, finding our joy in him? Would we be more effective in advancing the kingdom of God here on earth?
I can’t help but think that it would make a dramatic difference in our lives, both individually and as the Lord’s Church. Consider committing more of the Lord’s day to the Lord. Take some time in the morning to prepare yourself for worship. And afterward, take time to spend with the Lord, getting to know him better. Try it and see what a difference it makes in your walk with him.
