Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest.
In plowing time and in harvest, you shall rest.
Exodus 34:21
God created people to work. The Bible says six days a week.
We find meaning in our work, as we use our gifts and talents to serve Almighty God.
Some individuals become workaholics. Others don’t even work a full day a week. This can sometimes be for legitimate health reasons.
Whatever the case, when we immerse ourselves in our work and nothing else, we deplete ourselves, become overwhelmed and experience stress.
So in God’s wisdom, He calls us to take one day of the week, the Sabbath Day, Sunday, to rest.
When we go to corporate worship, we enter God’s rest; we fill ourselves up with God’s Word and Worship Almighty God.
And after words as believers, we engage in sweet fellowship with those in our Church Family.
When we take heed of God’s instructions, we reap the benefits of experiencing a day of rest and restoration.
We will be more fully prepared to face the demands of a new workweek as we allow ourselves to rest and worship on Sunday.
Obviously, God gives grace to those in the Health Care Profession and such. Most take turns working on Sundays to care for those in need.
As we begin our week with God as our central focus and devoting a day to Him, in rest, we honour the LORD.
It is the same as starting our day in reading Scripture and praying.
If we don’t give God the firstfruits of our day or week, we will reap the results.
Stress, strain, and overwhelm, not to mention constrained relationships, are the result.
My day goes so much more smoothly when I begin with prayer and Scriptures. So much more gets accomplished, especially when I ask the LORD what is on His agenda today for me to accomplish with His help!
What about you? Have you noticed undone tasks stacking up, feeling stress and strain under the pressures of life?
I gently remind you what the Word of God asks of you.
And me.
One last point before I close for the weekend.
Did you notice the last segment of the selected text for today? “Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest. In plowing time and in harvest you shall rest.” We are to rest on the Sabbath day, Sunday, in plowing time and in harvest time. That translates in 2023, into, Rest on Sunday (go to Church and recharge with God), even in busy seasons where your work is heaping up in piles to the ceiling.
I remember as a young girl, growing up on a beautiful farm in Huron Country. Similar to this summer, we had an abundance of rain. Our Dad was farming with one of his sons to get him started off. On Sunday, the sun came out for the first time in a long while. My sibling was young and eager to harvest the crop that Sunday. Our Dad clarified it would never happen on his farm on a Sunday. He would take the loss. God would provide. And thus a valuable lesson learned that summer.
So regardless if it is harvest season, or plowing time, or paperwork is stacking up, and bills need paying, taking the one day per week to rest and recharge and devote to Jesus will reap a rich reward.
May you have a blessed weekend, dear one, and especially your day of rest.