And God rested

Genesis 2
1 So the creation of the heavens and the earth and everything in them was completed. 2 On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all his work. 3 And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when he rested from all his work of creation.

What a fitting topic to start the new year with. A day of rest. The sabbath. A concept so foreign to our culture; our lifestyle. Even when I run into people observing a sabbath, it's typically a day to "veg out" and do nothing. But is that really what God intends for us to do during sabbath? If He is not a part of that day and that time, is it really a sabbath? One of my goals this year is to really dig into what, scripturally, a sabbath is and what it looks like to regularly observe one.

I've had a couple books recommended to me, but if you've come across a good read on the sabbath, please drop me a note or comment. I'd appreciate it!

I've started reading the One Year Chronological Bible. I've read so much of the bible over and over, but have never made a plan to read the whole thing over a specific period of time. So this year, my goal is to continue reading and studying, but doing so by reading the bible in its entirety.

2 comments:

Brandy said...

I just started a One Year plan as well. This one has daily readings from the Old Testament, New Testament Psalms and Proverbs all together. It's interesting how some of the scriptures were similiar in the different books.

Romi said...

Happy New Year, Sheri!!

Great topic and reminder for us all! And your question "If He is not a part of that day and that time, is it really a sabbath?" was especially convicting. I'd never quite thought of it that way. Thank you!

As for book suggestions on the Sabbath, I'd recommend these two:
"Keeping the Sabbath Wholly" by Marva J. Dawn & "Sabbath: Finding rest, renewal, and delight in our busy lives" by Wayne Muller (there's just something very comforting and soothing about his writing.) They're both older books, but I've found them to be timeless in their insights. Let me know if you end up reading them.