If you refrain from trampling the sabbath, from pursuing your own interests on my holy day; if you call the sabbath a delight and the holy day of the Lord honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, serving your own interests, or pursuing your own affairs; then you shall take delight in the Lord, and I will make you ride upon the heights of the earth; I will feed you with the heritage of your ancestor Jacob, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

– Isaiah 58:13-14

Most of us would probably agree that being busy is a good thing, an admirable quality. Having a robust ‘to-do’ list is a sure sign of an accomplished, successful person, is it not?

Recently I heard this quote: “If the devil can’t make you bad, he will make you busy.” Ours is a very fast-paced, stressful world, 24/7 access to shopping, emails, text messages and social media is truly relentless.

But, God who in six days created the heavens, and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them; He too rested on the seventh day. The Lord blessed it and commanded us as His followers to honor the Sabbath. By worshipping in church and spending time in togetherness with family and friends, abstaining from work and labor, and, might I add “our in-boxes” we can rest in Him and let His blessings and grace renew and refresh our souls.

By keeping the true meaning of the Sabbath, to quote Isaiah 58:14 “we can delight in the Lord”. It is also a gentle reminder that for one day out of seven, we relinquish control into God’s hands.

PRAYER:

Dear Heavenly Father, I praise your Holy Name and thank you for your grace and blessing to keep your commandment to honor the Sabbath, the day you deemed as holy that I may find true rest and renewal that I may experience Your delight.

– Cathy Kramer