Nehemiah 13:15-22
As we reach the end of Nehemiah, we see the relief of the walls finally completed despite all the pushback along the way. However, we see that when Nehemiah returns to Jerusalem, he finds things out of order. In the Ten Commandments, the fourth is “Remember the Sabbath Day”, yet the people inside the walls started to get away from it over time, just like their ancestors did previously. The sabbath was a day of rest and worship; nothing was to be bought or sold. Nehemiah discovers people from Judah bringing in food and merchandise to sell in Jerusalem on that day, something that was clearly forbidden! So in turn, he decides that he would order the gates to be closed the night before each sabbath until it was over. The gates to enter the city were to be completely closed from merchants going in and out, forcing the people to honor the sabbath day. The people were more concerned about what they could buy or profit from than their own physical and spiritual rest. The opportunity to gain was more valuable to them than obedience. The people didn’t realize the beauty of the sabbath day. It was a gift given to them by God that was to be blessed and holy. It was a benefit, not a burden.
Our growth group just completed a study on Right Now Media called “The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry”. Throughout the study, we learned about rest, simplicity, slowing down, and what the sabbath means and how we can incorporate it into our lives today. In it, John Mark Comer says, “Sabbath is a secret weapon in the war on hurry.” He also gave four key points on what it could/should look like:
1.Stop. Stop working and wanting. Practice gratitude.
2.Rest. Physically, mentally, and spiritually. Wasting time on purpose.
3.Delight. A 24-hour period of doing something that gives you soul-level throbbing joy. Pamper your soul.
4.Worship. A holy day dedicated to God.
Just as God rested on the seventh day, we too are to take a day of rest and worship. This usually looks like Sunday. Some of us may have no choice but to work on Sundays. If that’s the case, make a different day your sabbath! I don’t think God's intent is making a certain day our sabbath and being legalistic. I think He is more concerned with our heart motives. We all need rest. If our creator rested, how much more do we need to rest? I wonder what our country would look like if we closed everything on Sundays again. It used to be that you went to church and then you went home to be with your family. Now almost everything is open on Sunday -Except Chick-fil-a ?. We need to prioritize slowing down; doing so is actually obedient to the Lord. We were not created to be on autopilot, rushing through life. For the people of Jerusalem they had gotten away from remembering the sabbath day. What is something you’ve gotten away from in your walk with the Lord?
As we reach the end of Nehemiah, we see the relief of the walls finally completed despite all the pushback along the way. However, we see that when Nehemiah returns to Jerusalem, he finds things out of order. In the Ten Commandments, the fourth is “Remember the Sabbath Day”, yet the people inside the walls started to get away from it over time, just like their ancestors did previously. The sabbath was a day of rest and worship; nothing was to be bought or sold. Nehemiah discovers people from Judah bringing in food and merchandise to sell in Jerusalem on that day, something that was clearly forbidden! So in turn, he decides that he would order the gates to be closed the night before each sabbath until it was over. The gates to enter the city were to be completely closed from merchants going in and out, forcing the people to honor the sabbath day. The people were more concerned about what they could buy or profit from than their own physical and spiritual rest. The opportunity to gain was more valuable to them than obedience. The people didn’t realize the beauty of the sabbath day. It was a gift given to them by God that was to be blessed and holy. It was a benefit, not a burden.
Our growth group just completed a study on Right Now Media called “The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry”. Throughout the study, we learned about rest, simplicity, slowing down, and what the sabbath means and how we can incorporate it into our lives today. In it, John Mark Comer says, “Sabbath is a secret weapon in the war on hurry.” He also gave four key points on what it could/should look like:
1.Stop. Stop working and wanting. Practice gratitude.
2.Rest. Physically, mentally, and spiritually. Wasting time on purpose.
3.Delight. A 24-hour period of doing something that gives you soul-level throbbing joy. Pamper your soul.
4.Worship. A holy day dedicated to God.
Just as God rested on the seventh day, we too are to take a day of rest and worship. This usually looks like Sunday. Some of us may have no choice but to work on Sundays. If that’s the case, make a different day your sabbath! I don’t think God's intent is making a certain day our sabbath and being legalistic. I think He is more concerned with our heart motives. We all need rest. If our creator rested, how much more do we need to rest? I wonder what our country would look like if we closed everything on Sundays again. It used to be that you went to church and then you went home to be with your family. Now almost everything is open on Sunday -Except Chick-fil-a ?. We need to prioritize slowing down; doing so is actually obedient to the Lord. We were not created to be on autopilot, rushing through life. For the people of Jerusalem they had gotten away from remembering the sabbath day. What is something you’ve gotten away from in your walk with the Lord?
Posted in Devotional