By MARK Heid |
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06βͺMARCH 2024βͺwww . cmausa . org |
LONG ago , God gave His people a set of guidelines to live by . We call them the Ten Commandments . The first three had to do with our relationship with God . We were to have no other gods or idols and were not to take His name in vain . The last six had to do with our relationship with others : honor your parents , do not lie , steal , murder , commit adultery , or covet . These are all straightforward , and most Christians today would say they are still to be kept and obeyed . But that is only nine . What about the fourth commandment addressing the Sabbath ? God said we were to keep it holy . His people and those they had influence over were not to work on the Sabbath . In one of their final conversations , God tells Moses the Sabbath day is to be observed from generation to generation and that it will be a permanent sign of the covenant with His people .
Many today feel Sabbath rest is an Old Testament practice and no longer applies to God β s people living under the New Covenant . But Jesus said , β The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people , and not people to meet the
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requirements of the Sabbath β ( Mark 2:27 , NLT ). The Sabbath is not rules and requirements ; it is a gift from God .
Keeping the Sabbath holy should not be defined by a list of do β s and don β ts . It is about a relationship with the one true God . It should be spent doing things honoring God and bringing you joy , not accomplishing things on a β todo β list . If you desire to honor God and keep the Sabbath holy , I offer three areas to focus on : rest , relationships , and reverence .
The Sabbath is about stopping and resting one day a week . We need to get away from our work , our worries , and the constant demands of life . Don β t worry about falling behind . God can help you accomplish more in six days than you can in seven on your own .
Sabbath is also about restoring and maintaining relationships . It is a day to spend time with family , your church , your CMA family , and those closest to you . Life should be about relationships , not accomplishments .
Probably most important is that the Sabbath is a day of reverence and a time set aside to honor and
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reconnect with God . Take time for worship , talk to God , spend time in His Word , and listen to what He says .
I believe Isaiah captured the essence of the Sabbath . β Keep the Sabbath day holy . Don β t pursue your own interests on that day , but enjoy the Sabbath and speak of it with delight as the Lord β s holy day . Honor the Sabbath in everything you do on that day , and don β t follow your own desires or talk idly . Then the Lord will be your delight . I will give you great honor and satisfy you with the inheritance I promised to your ancestor Jacob . I , the Lord , have spoken !β ( Isaiah 58 : 13-14 , NLT ).
God has spoken . Are you listening ? CMA
Mark and Tammy Heid oversee the Rocky Mountain Region as National Evangelist .
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