Sabbath

      Often times I am convicted because I rarely take a Sunday to rest completely. Church is a priority for Cole and I because we value our fellowship and instruction there, but afterwards I am always distracted and busy with other things, namely schoolwork in preparation for the week. 
      This week my bible study group is in Isaiah 58-60 and I am learning a lot about the Sabbath. In the OT, the Sabbath was a sign of the covenant that God made with Israel on Mt. Sinai (Covenants in the OT came with signs - sign of the rainbow represented the covenant that God would never to flood the earth again, and the sign of circumcision represented the sign that Abraham was promised many descendants). In Exodus 20:8-11 is says to "remember the Sabbath and keep it holy..." and Exodus 31:12-17 says that whoever didn't obey the Sabbath would be put to death! Wow, that's harsh! In the NT, there are many places where the Sabbath is discussed that I have found to be helpful in my debate on whether or not this is an old law that should be followed today. My favorite is in Matthew 12:1-12 when the disciples were hungry and began picking the crop to eat. The Pharisees began to admonish them and Jesus for working on the Sabbath. Jesus says.."I desire mercy, not sacrifice. Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath."and "If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." Jesus makes it very clear that the Sabbath is not about refraining from things, but about doing good! Another example is in John 5:10 and 9:14 where Jesus is accused, again by the Pharisees, for healing an invalid on the Sabbath. It amazes me that instead of rejoicing with the invalid for being healed, they accused him for carrying his mat on the Sabbath (yes, they thought carrying something as light as a mat was work). I think Jesus makes it clear that an opportunity to do good should never be ignored, even on the Sabbath. I am reminded that God takes no days off for our rest! 
      So, these verses may leave you with the question, like it did me, why was working on the Sabbath condemned in the OT, but yet in the NT Jesus and his disciples "work" on the Sabbath. What am I missing in the story? and What does that mean for me on Sundays today?
      Christ is the change. Hebrews 4 makes this very clear. "For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.
      We are no longer required to solely rest on the Sabbath since now we find our rest in Jesus. In Isaiah 58, they were disobeying God by not keeping the Sabbath holy, because then (before Christ) that was the commandment. Today, we break that commandment by not finding rest in Jesus.  The purpose is rest - physical, mental, and spiritual rest. Because of Christ, we cannot find rest apart from Him. So, I now believe that my rest doesn't have to be on Sundays (although some may find this is the best time). Instead of working on resting on Sundays, my focus is on resting in Christ, whenever or wherever that may be. The purpose is to do it!! So, don't beat yourself up over not doing anything on Sundays, but do beat yourself up if you are not resting in the promises and grace of Jesus Christ. Hebrews 4:2 says, "Since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it."
      What does resting in Christ look like? Many things. For me, its fully trusting in Him for my future and relinquishing any uncertainties I may have. It means seeking and fighting for time in His presence. It means enjoying being establish as a child of God. It means recognizing that Christ's work on the cross redeems me from all sin and is complete. It means resting through reading and memorizing and praying through His Word.
      Isaiah promises that by keeping the Sabbath they would find joy in the Lord, ride on the heights of the land, and feast on the inheritance of Jacob (Isaiah 58: 13-14).  IF WE OBEY AND REST IN HIM, he also promises this: "The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen you your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail (v. 10-11)."