Third Sabbath

“My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him.  He alone is my Rock and salvation; He is my Fortress, I will never be shaken.” – David (Psalm 62:1, 2)

“The apostles returned to Jesus and told Him all that they had done and taught.  And He said to them, ‘Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest for a while.’  For many were coming and going and they had no leisure even to eat.” (Mark 6:31, 32)

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.  Do not be conformed  to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind…” (Romans 12:1, 2)

Have you ever forgotten to charge your phone? You didn’t realize it  until you went to use it and got the message…”low battery” or “connect to power”.  From that moment, until you find a place to plug in and recharge, you are in jeapardy of losing every call.  Anxiety builds and you restrict the things that you might normally do to extend your limited “cyber life”.  I think you see where I’m going here.

Everything needs a recharge and people are no different…the disciples were no different…YOU are no different.  The disciples had returned from their mission and reported to Jesus, but the crowds around Jesus were relentless and they didn’t even have time to eat.  Jesus was concerned about them so He encourages them to step back and recharge.

This is why God instituted The Sabbath.  God has told us from the beginning that we were created with a natural rhythm.  We need to regularly connect with the Father.  This is our “spiritual worship”, according to Paul, to present ourselves to God and allow Him to “renew”…recharge…refresh…our minds.  This is why our day of rest is also a day of worship.  Rest and worship go hand in hand.  You cannot truly worship unless you can step back from the daily routine of life and focus on your Creator.  And, you cannot truly rest unless you can come into the presence of the One who holds you in the palm of His hand.  David said his rest was found in “God alone”.

So, today, hear the words of Jesus as He bids you to come away and “rest a while” in His presence.  Worship Him and allow Him to transform you and renew your mind.