Jump Start # 760

Genesis 2:2 By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done.

We are back with our Jump Starts. We took a couple of days off for the Christmas break. It is enjoyable to spend time with family and to get a break from the busy schedule of life. Those thoughts remind us that God rested. Not only did God rest, but He instituted a rest for His people in the Old Testament called the Sabbath or Sabbath rest.

On the Sabbath, Israel was not to work, travel or even do house chores. It was a time to rest, spend time with family and worship God. There is something to be said about resting the body and the mind. Working all the time makes one weary. Days off, vacations are wonderful occasions. Years ago, Sundays were like that. Few worked on Sunday. Most stores were closed. Nearly everyone went to church services and they had big family meals and then in the afternoon they visited with others. They just sat around and talked. Sometimes the talk was just catching up, other times it was deep discussions about religion, politics and life.

Times have moved on. We don’t rest much anymore. We are running all the time. Stores are rarely closed. When people get together, the youngsters have an electronic gadget in their hand. People have a hard time just taking and sharing life anymore. It’s hard for some, including me, to sit still for very long.

Our passage says that God rested. That in itself is interesting. We generally think that rest is necessary when one is tired. Babies need naps because they get tired. At the end of the day, our bodies tell us that it’s time to go to bed. Rest is beneficial and good. God didn’t rest because He was tired. God doesn’t tire. He doesn’t sleep. Elijah mocked the prophets of Baal because they couldn’t get their fake god to answer their pleas. He teased them by suggesting that Baal may be asleep and needs to be awakened. Our God is not like that. He doesn’t get a sore back or tired muscles, or sleepy eyes as we do.

The reason God rested was because His work was completed. He reflected and enjoyed what He had accomplished. God was pleased with His creation. His rest was an illustration that we need to rest. Our minds, souls and bodies need it. Without rest, we get cranky and the quality of our work suffers.

The Sabbath rest for Israel wasn’t a time to sleep in bed until noon, there was plenty to do, but it was the things that were different than the rest of the week. That break in the routine reminded them of God and that connection to God. Things were different on the Sabbath.

Although we do not have the restrictions on Sunday as Israel did, our day of worship can and should be a break from the routine. It is a time to worship, remember, be thankful and praise God. Sundays are special to the Christian. It’s time to gather with the church family. It’s time to praise God. It’s time to learn more. It’s time to remember a special death. It’s a time to feed the soul and connect to our God. I love Sundays. It’s my favorite day of the week. Folks still put on their “church” clothes and come with smiles on their faces and Bibles in their hands. There are hugs, serious discussions, wonderful singing and the solemn reminder of the love of our Savior as He went to the cross. Sundays are great.

I can’t imagine anything being more important than Sunday. Some miss out. They only attend church services if there is nothing else going on or only when guilt drives them. Even then, those who have showed up for those reasons, miss out. They’d rather be somewhere else, so their heart and minds are not with them. They miss out. They fail to connect. They go to church but they haven’t worshipped.

I have a friend who writes a blog that’s entitled, “It’s Friday, but Sunday is coming.” I like that. Sunday is coming. For Israel, there were things to do before the Sabbath came about. There were preparations that had to be made. They were thinking about the Sabbath before the Sabbath. That’s a good thought for us. Sundays coming…we ought to be thinking of it even now. Won’t it be wonderful to be with the church family? Won’t it be wonderful to sing to God? Won’t it be wonderful to have a concentrated study of God’s word? Won’t it be wonderful?

Sundays coming. Be thinking of that. Be looking forward to that. Be ready for that. Are you worshipping each Sunday with your church family? If not, you ought to. It’ll make a difference in your life if you are with a group that follows the Bible and are serious about their soul and God. A lifetime of Sundays sure does the soul good. Get up and get out the door on Sunday. Don’t be lazy. Don’t be selfish and waste the day on yourself. Rest, reflect, recharge and worship God. He is good to you! He is looking for you. He wants you to worship Him

Sunday is coming…

Roger