Sabbath

One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee, he was being carefully watched. There in front of him was a man suffering from dropsy. Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in the law, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?" But they remained silent. So taking hold of the man, he healed him and sent him away.

Luke 14.1-4

It seems to me that Jesus often got into trouble with the religious "experts" when it came to how best serve the Lord's Sabbath. God had instructed through Moses, "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy." (Exod. 20.8) He instructed that all work should be done in six days, and the seventh to be a day of rest, with no work.

The Pharisees and other leaders had turned the Sabbath into a religious bondage. So many rules and regulations governed the behaviour of the people - but not always the  behaviour of those who made and enforced the rules!

Jesus brought a more Godly observance to the Sabbath. I believe He showed how the Sabbath day of rest was meant to be lived. And I see life as the essence of the Sabbath - life in God, a life of rest in God, and in the fullness of all the life that God gives. The Sabbath is for enjoying God, and enjoying the whole of His creation.

Down through the centuries, religious leaders, often self-appointed, have sought to impose a set of rules and regulations concerning Sabbath behaviour. This practice is, likely, as rife today as ever it was. How sad it is that we miss the point - as we are often likely to do when we presume interpretation of God's words to us!

Through the account in Luke, Jesus shows us how to live out God's Sabbath. Why, oh why, don't we then just "get on with it"!

Lord, Mighty God, and Loving Father,

I grieve at how we so often mis-interpret Your will and Your ways for us. I believe we do so in the case of the Sabbath when we seek to impose restrictions that often deny the true intent of Your covenant with us.

I pray for enlightenment, all over this world, to the true practice of Sabbath rest. Our Lord Jesus showed us how we may live in honouring You and in harmony with Your ways for us. May we receive further revelation from You concerning Sabbath rest and other practices You would have us bring into greater alignment with Your will.

Show us please, and make the way for us to follow.        Amen.