September 17, 2023: Stressed About Sabbath

"At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, "Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath." (Matthew 12:1–2, ESV)

The Pharisees had a wrong understanding of the Sabbath. They had all these little laws that put obligations on people. Sadly, in our culture, the practice of the Sabbath is seen more as an obligation that creates difficulty, not as a day that would refresh. If you find yourself stressing about what the day needs to look like and how to practice it, you may be approaching the Sabbath as a box that needs to be checked. You are more interested in 'doing' for God than in 'being' with God. Checking a box will not replenish the deep fatigue that so many feel. But, if we can look inward and truly see ourselves, at our core, we might realize that we are genuinely tired. Then, we will look for the refreshing that only God can give.
    
Our souls find true rest when we believe in Christ Jesus and receive His love. We continue to find rest in Him as we set aside time to regularly enter the Sabbath. As we draw near and give ourselves to the Rest-Giver, He who knows us best touches our lives at a heart level that only He can do. It is there, that we find great mercy. Selah