Today I get to…or have you ever said to yourself , “I am so tired; I can’t seem to catch up with everything. I need to do, or, things seem to just be going faster and faster and I can’t keep up”. Well, of course we all have said these or other related phrases with the same frustration and lack of resolve. The rest that G-d intended for us to receive on Sabbath is not just a physical rest from our work or a mental and emotional rest from the stress of life. It’s much more.
When Yeshua (Jesus) said, “Come unto me . . . I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). He also said, “ye will find rest unto your souls” (Matt. 11:29).
Entering Sabbath Rest requires that we stop trying to save ourselves and rest in the finished work of Yeshua (Jesus).
The Rabbis of old would say, “Shabbat is like an island in time”. We enter into the secure rest of our heavenly Father’s arms of Grace. Jesus defined Himself as the Sabbath in Matthew 12:8, “For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath day!” The Sabbath, as with the rest of the Bible, finds fulfillment in Messiah (Christ). Remember Matthew 5:17 and following. He came to fulfill both Torah and the prophets. Everything about the Sabbath teaches us something about the Messiah (Lancaster 1996).
Some Significances of Sabbath to the Messianic Kingdom are:
- The Sabbath reminds us that G-d created the world.
- The Sabbath reminds us that Messiah (Christ) delivered us from the penalty of our sin at Calvary.
- The Sabbath reminds us that God will make us holy, just as He made the Sabbath holy.
- The Sabbath reminds us that G-d will finish His work in our lives, just as He finished His work of creation and redemption.
- The Sabbath reminds us that G-d is our Lord and G-od.
- The Sabbath reminds us that we have rest in Messiah (Christ).
The key here is that it’s not like the Western way of thinking. Things like “Oh that’s legalistic, or we can have Yeshua any and all the time.” Of course we can!
But have you ever considered the uniqueness of the seventh day? It’s like non-other. It’s not just good or even very good like all the other days. It’s the only day that is decreed holy (Gen.2:3).
My hope is that those that have taken time to read this will challenge themselves to spend the day (24 hours) with only one focus: Spend the day talking about scripture. Share your past week with your family, particularly the way G-D showed up. Reflect on how He showed up and made Himself known to you in your situations. Listen to the rest of your family in the same manner and be amazed at how He is at work with everyone. Read His Word. Pray thanksgiving, encouragement and praise with your love ones. Make it a time of accepted invitation from Father G-D to you and be with Him in His day.
You see it is His day, not ours. It’s not “I have to do this; it’s I get to be with Him. Like an island in time. Doesn’t that sound WONDERFUL? It is also said that spending the day with Him restores and refreshes the individual for the week G-D has prepared for you. Thereby, after a saturated day with Him, we are ready to receive what He has prepared.
This practice is like going deeper in prayer. The more you practice, the deeper you go. Likewise the more you practice Shabbat, the more intimate you become with Him. Some of the things I’ve noticed are that Shabbat is really the rest in His Presence. It is an everlasting covenant, a Holy convocation that if practiced consistently will bring an over flowing presence of His Spirit. When we observe His special day and it becomes our delight, there is liberation in Yeshua that causes us as new creations to be more radiant and accessible to the desires of His heart for us. Even the Havdalah (closing prayers for Shabbat) ushers in a higher expectation for the coming week that brings a renewed sense of joy and vibrancy. Perhaps you will enjoy Psalm 92 to begin and end your practice. I pray His Word speaks LIFE (L’Chaim) to you all.
