Exodus 20:8-10 Amplified Bible
8 “Remember the Sabbath (seventh) day to keep it holy (set apart, dedicated to God). 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath [a day of rest dedicated] to the Lord your God; on that day you shall not do any work, you or your son, or your daughter, or your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock or the temporary resident (foreigner) who stays within your [city] gates.
Word of God for the Children of God
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
I recall a few time when I purposely neglected God’s day of rest and found myself overwhelmed by busyness and stress. A friend (my wife) read Exodus 20:8-10 with me and encouraged me (as I had previously encouraged her) to set aside time each week for rest and reflection, trusting that God’s commandment to rest is not just for physical rejuvenation but also for spiritual renewal.
This Sabbath is a sacred covenant from God, a time set apart for rest, worship, and reflection. It reminds us of God’s creative power and his desire for us to take a day, removed from our chaos to experience his peace. In a culture that exclusively values 110% productivity and constant activity, observing Sabbath requires intentional commitment, sacred discipline, trust in God’s provision.
When we authentically honor the Sabbath, we accept our dependence on God and his faithfulness. We genuinely cease from our usual work day to delight in God’s presence and to exclusively prioritize relationships with him and others.
Sabbath rest allows us to recharge physically, emotionally, and spiritually to serve God and others throughout the week. Each Sabbath day is an invitation to enjoy God’s rest and to align our hearts and souls with his rhythms of grace.
If you long for spiritual refreshment and deeper intimacy with God, consider embracing the gift of Sabbath rest.
Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Work six days and do everything you need to do. But the seventh day is a Sabbath to God, your God. Don’t do any work—not you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your servant, nor your maid, nor your animals, not even the foreign guest visiting in your town. For in six days God made Heaven, Earth, and sea, and everything in them; he rested on the seventh day. Therefore God blessed the Sabbath day; he set it apart as a holy day.
Set aside time to worship, pray, and reflect on God’s goodness. May each day of authentic Sabbath remind you of God’s love and his desire for us to rest in him.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Praying …
23 1-3 God, my shepherd!
I don’t need a thing.
You have bedded me down in lush meadows,
you find me quiet pools to drink from.
True to your word,
you let me catch my breath
and send me in the right direction.
4 Even when the way goes through
Death Valley,
I’m not afraid
when you walk at my side.
Your trusty shepherd’s crook
makes me feel secure.
5 You serve me a six-course dinner
right in front of my enemies.
You revive my drooping head;
my cup brims with blessing.
6 Your beauty and love chase after me
every day of my life.
I’m back home in the house of God
for the rest of my life.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 