OKAY, okay... the Sabbath

Sabbath rest... WHAT?

 

So... I know this might be random, but it's not to me.

Ever since I started learned how WORN OUT I am, God started showing SCREAMING at me the reality of the Sabbath Rest. I know some of you are thinking - well that's Old Testament. we don't do that anymore. isn't that like one of the 10 Commandments... so old school.  Yes, yes... that's what I thought. The Sabbath was something they had to do once upon a time... not now. Our "Sabbath" is full of going to church (which is not so restful sometimes), going to eat with friends, business, and whatever else we find to fill our time. 

So... where is our rest?

I'm not saying our Sabbath rest has to be on Sunday or any day for that matter. Honestly, I'm still working through what the Sabbath rest is and what it's suppose to look like for me, my hubby, and our lives. I really haven't even talked to him about this... just been chewing on it. I should probably talk to him. 

All I know right now is what Hebrews 4 (yep, the NEW Testament) says about the Sabbath:

p.s. this is the Message version. I don't usually use the Message when I'm studying, but I thought this translation of these verses made sense to my feeble mind. 

^1-3For as long, then, as that promise of resting in him pulls us on to God's goal for us, we need to be careful that we're not disqualified. We received the same promises as those people in the wilderness, but the promises didn't do them a bit of good because they didn't receive the promises with faith. If we believe, though, we'll experience that state of resting. But not if we don't have faith. Remember that God said,

   Exasperated, I vowed,
      "They'll never get where they're going,
      never be able to sit down and rest."

 ^3-7God made that vow, even though he'd finished his part before the foundation of the world. Somewhere it's written, "God rested the seventh day, having completed his work," but in this other text he says, "They'll never be able to sit down and rest." So this promise has not yet been fulfilled. Those earlier ones never did get to the place of rest because they were disobedient. God keeps renewing the promise and setting the date as today, just as he did in David's psalm, centuries later than the original invitation:

   Today, please listen,

      don't turn a deaf ear . . .

 ^8-11And so this is still a live promise. It wasn't canceled at the time of Joshua; otherwise, God wouldn't keep renewing the appointment for "today." The promise of "arrival" and "rest" is still there for God's people. God himself is at rest. And at the end of the journey we'll surely rest with God. So let's keep at it and eventually arrive at the place of rest, not drop out through some sort of disobedience.

THEN... THE PASSAGE THAT WE HAVE READ AND RECITED AND WROTE AND GOTTEN EXCITED OVER MANY TIMES COMES DIRECTLY AFTER IT. HOW I HAVE FAILED TO SEE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ENTIRE CONTEXT:

^12-13God means what he says. What he says goes. His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon's scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey. Nothing and no one is impervious to God's Word. We can't get away from it—no matter what.

(You know... The word is active and living and cuts deeper than a double-edged sword...)

SABBATH REST IS OBVIOUSLY IMPORTANT TO GOD AND THE WORD OF GOD! 

This is CRAZY to me. I have never really READ this passage. 

REST is so important. I don't think it means to sleep all day, be lazy, and unintentional.  

I think this REST means destroying all distractions, focusing on what matters (the Lord, family, friends), and stop with BUSINESS. 

I want to learn and live in Sabbath rest. 

My dear friend, Kelly Vaughan, who I have written about many times is struggling to find the meaning and application of Sabbath rest too. Her family came up with the 5 Sabbath S's to define what they desire from the Sabbath. I want it to:

SEEK

Fight to seek and worship the Lord in new and fresh ways

SURRENDER

Surrender our plan, agenda, chaos... our norm unto the Lord

SHARE

Share our time, meals, laughter, and life

STORY

Share our story with each other, speak life into one another, remembering that it's His story we are in.

STOP

Cease, rest... savor unhindered and unhurried time as we battle against chaos.

Such sweet words. I want to be teachable in moldable. 

I long for Sabbath rest. 

I am excited about what this could look like in my life and I yearn to know it.