Delightful Rest

From The Real Sabbath Devotional Series

Today I’m sharing devotion number two in the Real Sabbath Devotional Series: Blessed Rest. In this devotion, I share about how God’s rest is a delight and a blessing to us, not a restriction.

Here goes today’s devotion on this Blog and on the Podcast.

Delightful Rest – S3 E3

Focus Verse

“If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the Lord’s holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words, then you will find your joy in the Lord, and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.” For the mouth of the Lord has spoken. – Isaiah 58:13, 14

Devotion

In our worldly way of thinking, it’s easy to think of the Sabbath as a restrictive rule, rather than a delight. Even though we’re no longer under law – since Jesus fulfilled the law on our behalf – we often think of dedicating time to the Lord on a regular basis as something legalistic, binding and restrictive.

Yet, God’s word shows us that dedicating time solely to Him and not indulging our own pleasures, will bring us true joy. Indeed, the words linked to the sabbath in these verses are: delight, honorable, joy, triumph, feast, and inheritance.  Isn’t that amazing?

As mums, how can we take on this truth that God’s ways are better than our pleasures? I believe it comes with faith. When we take a step of faith and turn away from that which would naturally seem like a blessing, and trust in the Lord who says that dedicating time to Him will be the true blessing, we will taste and see that the Lord is good.

Taking this step of faith towards the things of the Lord, means actively saying “no” to the enticements of the world and saying “yes” to God’s Kingdom and His righteousness. This comes with taking God at His word, and choosing to believe that His ways are higher than our ways.

Questions for reflection

• Do you sometimes feel tempted to see time dedicated to God as restrictive, instead of a blessing?
• How can you teach your children to discern the lies of the world about self-focus and pursuit of pleasure?
• How can you teach your children about the blessing of giving time to God?

Prayer

Lord, I pray that despite our busyness, and all the things we have to do, that we would have focused time with You and do so in obedience to Your word, knowing it’s important. I pray we would set aside time with You, Lord, and that You would really help us to see that this is Your will and a blessing from You. Help us to see that It’s delightful to spend time with You, away from the enticement of the world. So I pray you would help us be obedient, have a focused time with You, and teach our children to do the same. Amen.