Time to Rest

Exodus 20:8-10 - Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work...

I have to admit I remember when nothing was open on Sundays except church...but only vaguely.

How we've changed. Society has allowed the "bottom line" to become important. And we've allowed other activities to become the thing that takes precedence over God. We still owe God something and taking one day out of our week to devote to Him seems harder to do. With stores, restaurants, movie theaters, golf courses and so many other things drawing our attention away from Him, it's easy to fall into the trap. Guilty...

It's even become a joke in some churches when the pastors kid about getting out before the brunch crowd rush or better yet, the "game." Hah, I heard a pastor say on Superbowl Sunday he'd asked his congregation once to record the game because there would be an evening service.  Someone in the congregation called out (I'm sure jokingly?) "couldn't we record you?!"

God may have something especially in store for us that we might be missing out on. How can we put Him in a box and only allow Him access when we're available? How can we look at our watches and fidget because we have other plans to go? Why is it our time seems to be more valuable than His? I'm just as guilty, believe me. I struggle sometimes just keeping up my blog when the appointments creep up and I get behind schedule. Ugh. Guilty.

We used to spend time together as families. I can remember growing up and spending every Sunday for dinner at somebody's house. Grandmas, grandpas, aunts, uncles, cousins would all gather and talk...or maybe watch football...but we got together to do this. Maybe there are still families who do this. Maybe there are even some who enjoy it. I can't imagine doing this. It's been such a long time...and times do change. But I wonder if times hasn't changed hearts as well? It's the "me" society today. "My" pleasures. We've been warned about these times....

We are looking for a new pastor. Part of my prayer is a new spirit be evident in our church. No preconceived ideas about what church should look like. That the pastor be so totally led by the Spirit that he might forego his sermon for the sake of this Holy Spirit moment. My prayer is that the hearts of our people would change and take Him more seriously than ever before. That the family I mentioned above might move toward the family of churchgoers. When time at church is more important for those who don't have family family. You know? 

I'm convinced there are rough days ahead. There might be days when all those things we do for entertainment might be placed on the back burner for more pressing issues. I guess only time will tell. 

Yes, God needed a day of rest. He wanted His people to rest as well, so they could spend time with Him. Yes, we need rest too. Perhaps some of the activities we engage in are okay, but I think God would like them to be God-centered. How do we do that? Even some churches shuts down after the morning services; some, however, have an evening service. Perhaps the time in between is to be set aside to spend with family or loved ones.

Are we making our "day of rest" one that honors God or gives us the pleasure? Isaiah even tells us that we are not to seek our own pleasure but delight in God (Isaiah 58:13). How times have changed. I'm convicted myself. I'm believing there are some of us who have a long way to go before this type of achievement will take place. Guilty.


The big question in my mind is "What does God think of this behavior?" If He loves us so much, how disappointed is He that we don't show Him respect? How do we relearn what we have either unlearned or never have learned? How strong is our desire for God to do this? These are my own questions... I want to delight in my God and be a delight to Him but when the desire is not evident around me and society thinks one like that odd, how do you do it? And to what extent? Do we want to be blessed by God or content in our own activities? Yes, God wants us to be happy, to bless us, but I think another condition would be that it be done honoring Him. 

I'll tell you, I'm desiring more of God and desiring change in my life. But there is still a draw from this world. I'm feeling a need to surround myself with more people who are God-centered. But we are also called to be of the world, but not in it. To be the salt and light to the world. Where do I start??

Isaiah 56:1-2 - Thus says the LORD, "Preserve justice, and do righteousness, for My salvation is about to come and My righteousness to be revealed. How blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who takes hold of it; who keeps from profaning the sabbath, and keeps his hand from doing any evil."