What do you do to get ready for the Sabbath? Do you keep a Sabbath day? Which day? How is it “holy” to you…to God?
God
gives us some instruction through the prophet Isaiah about not pursuing our own
interests on that day. Some people like to be told just what to do. When it
comes to pleasing God…I like having some specific instructions. There are 135
verses (in NLT) that mention the Sabbath—so we’ve got plenty of guidance. We
just have to apply it. These “instructions” begin even before the LORD gave
Moses the Ten Commandments—which includes a specific one for observing the
Sabbath.
Remember to observe the Sabbath day
by keeping it holy. You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the
seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the LORD your God. On that
day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and
daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners
living among you. For in six days the LORD made the heavens, the earth, the
sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the
LORD blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy. Exodus 20:8-11
Sunday has been traditionally my “Sabbath” day—but I recognize that the LORD set apart the seventh day…Saturday to be the Sabbath, so it has been a conundrum for me for years. Sunday is our church day—so that makes it a day to focus on the LORD, but I really feel that every day is the LORD’s day, so each day is a Sabbath day. God would be happy with that! But if no work can be done on the Sabbath—then nothing would ever get done! I don’t think that is God’s intent. We can—and should—honor Him every day. Not following our own desires or talking idly is a big challenge—but that is just what Isaiah told the Israelites…and us to do. It takes a focus on God. Can we do that?
Keep
the Sabbath day holy. Don't pursue your own interests on that day, but enjoy
the Sabbath and speak of it with delight as the LORD's holy day. Honor the
Sabbath in everything you do on that day, and don't follow your own desires or
talk idly. Isaiah
58:13
Meditate. Read God’s word and listen to what He is saying.
Prayer
– Lord Jesus, help me to listen to You. To listen and obey.
Verse
of Salvation ~ While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings,
with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God
heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God. Even though Jesus was
God's Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered. In this way, God
qualified him as a perfect High Priest, and he became the source of eternal
salvation for all those who obey him. Hebrews
5:7-9
My gratitude for today: Visiting family. HOME!
Growth and change.
Friday’s
Feast at the King’s Table
In
the book The Jesus Diet by Terry Toler, he has ten points or principles in
which numerous scriptures are used to illustrate the theme. As I previously
mentioned a couple days ago, the two most important elements are giving thanks
for our food and daily recognizing the importance of Jesus’ sacrifice by observing
the Lord’s supper. Other principles include honoring God, eating any foods—but
not with a gluttonous attitude, and feeding or helping those in need—the
hungry. 
Give us this day our Daily Bread.
Jesus body broken for you.
His blood shed for you.
Today, consider the principle of eating when you are hungry and stopping when you are full. This is a concept that I’ve heard before and the idea is to eat slowly enough so that you know when you are actually full—before you get stuffed and over eat. Chewing our food thoroughly does help with digestion and we can actually enjoy the various flavors. Be careful how fast you eat and what you eat…but enjoy it!
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