The idea of resting in today’s modern culture is sleep. In fact, thinking about taking an entire day off to do nothing is stressful. It’s easy to think, “There’s no way I can condense my busy week into six days when it seems like every hour is accounted for in doing something.” Often many Christians think of the Sabbath as an added stress, or they think that it is not relevant for today, both of which I have been guilty.
Now, it is true that Jesus is our Sabbath rest, and we can rest in Him every single day spiritually. We are not held to Old Testament laws about the Sabbath as Christians. Jesus even said, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27-28). The very concept of the Sabbath that God established at creation was for man. God rested on the seventh day; even though God did not need to rest, He modeled it for us.
Maybe there is something to this idea of resting and finding a sacred time between you and God where you will not strive to work. I feel the Sabbath today, whether you observe on Saturday or Sunday or another day, is a personal conviction. It is something you should pray about and not dismiss. Ask God to reveal to you how you can get more done in six days of work than you can in seven, and I believe He will show you. You do not have to say home and read the Bible all day. You can spend time with your family in activities that build you up and refill you emotionally, physically and spiritually.
In my interview with singer and songwriter Aaron Shust for Everyday Discernment on the Charisma Podcast Network, he discusses the importance of the Sabbath to him and his family. He once was skeptical of observing the Sabbath, but the more he researched and made the time to rest with his family, the more he found how beneficial it was. He approached the situation as a student—reading books and studying from those who could teach of its history and practicality for today.
Can you still be saved and go to heaven without observing the Sabbath? Of course. I would challenge you, however, to find margin in your week. Include time for rest, time in the Word of God, time to pray and time to spend with your family. If you do not have discernment with your time, you will most likely head down a road that leads to burnout. Often, the loudest voices in our lives that demand our time are not the ones that will build us up and give us life. Humble yourself before God today and listen to this episode to hear what He might be saying to you. {eoa}
Tim Ferrara has grown up in the church and has held various leadership positions both in business and in the church. Tim is currently the executive pastor at LifePoint Church in Arizona. He has a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Arizona State University along with a MBA from University of Phoenix. He has had a career in business management for over 20 years and has worked as faculty for two different colleges.
Tim started the ministry of Discerning Dad as a way to write and encourage Christians to grow in discernment and make better decisions that honor God. He has a book called Everyday Discernment: The Importance of Spirit-Led Decision Making as well as multiple YouVersion Bible Plans. Tim lives with his wife, Jamie, and their two children in Arizona.
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