Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Today's Passage: Exodus 30-31

I have always been amazed at how our bodies are designed. Every system and organ works together to benefit the body and help it sustain life. One of the most neglected aspects of the function of our bodies is rest. We abuse our bodies by going all night without sleep to finish a paper for school, or to stay up and watch a game on television, or even to travel overseas. If you have ever done any of these before, you are acutely aware of the necessity of rest for your body.

We all know that God designed our bodies to need rest. God is even our example during the creation account. God rested on the seventh day. At the end of Exodus 31, the Lord told Moses and his people to abstain from work on the Sabbath because it is holy. This is a physical and spiritual matter of rest that is being discussed here. God knew that man needed rest; He also knew that man needs to worship the Lord who gave this day of rest. In our culture, rest is a long forgotten discipline. Yes, I did just write the word discipline. There is so much to do during a given week, whether it is sports, academics, or simply just spending time with family and friends. We will never live out the command to keep the Sabbath until we have the discipline to say no to something, in order that we can rest. This is how God designed people, and we should not overlook this. I encourage you to read Exodus 31:12-13 a couple of times. The sabbath is all about the Lord. So this week I hope we all are able to celebrate the sabbath and focus on the Lord and His wonders.