One of the 10 commandments includes "Though shall rest on the Sabbath day as the Lord made it Holy". Instructions include doing no work, including cooking. Who desires NOT to rest?
We often think that the commandments and other Christian/bible 'rules' or 'laws' make Christians lack freedom to do as they please. Eg. Going to church every Sunday, not having sex before your married, not stealing or lying, not cheating on your spouse etc.
I've heard it being called 'sheep', 'followers', 'legalistic'. I've even heard the term "free thinkers" as in people who do not believe there IS a God. Do they think Christians are not free to be a free thinker?
I think freely often. I freely think there is a God who created the world and created me.
I used to believe that the laws or rules or commandments were in place to
For example:
So you can see the benefits of these three out of 10 Commandments.
But how's this one.. keeping the Sabbath day holy.
What is the benefit of doing this. Simply because we need time to rest, we need time to chill out, I need a day to rest every week.
Generally speaking jobs are 5-6days of work with one day off. Even in our society now we generally observe the part that we need to rest.
Feeling that inner call to start having "rest days" I did and was unbelievably rested afterwards.
Even with lots of little kids.
I started chilling out in the lounge, kids playing together on the floor, baby feeding in my lap, bible open and being read, notebook and pen by my side.
Through the week I felt the higher energy, the excitement leading up to my rest days, the closer feeling of God and my personal revelations occuring daily.
I began to learn what 'rest' actually meant. It means a few things really but to a busy mum with lots of little kids it meant learning to just *be*. To just sit and watch, think, watch kids play, to cuddle & hold. To not move. To put my mind at rest and focus on something other than self, house work and jobs.
I find it fun to *just be* with my delightful little kids, afterall, the most common parenting advise is to 'savour it because it goes so fast'.
Im not good at creating new habits and so I stopped for a period of time.
I can feel the difference it has made. I need to go back to Sabbath day of rests, I want to go back, I have gone back.
I am observing in lives around me where activities and busy-ness are at the fore front of their minds, they can not rest, they choose not to rest, any rest opportunities are quickly filled with something else to do and their life suffers from it.
Know what else I'm observing? That people get hurt, spouses lose quality time, children lose time, family members suffer, the individual suffers, relationships suffer, physical health suffers, mental health suffers.
Why did God say to have Sabbath rests? So we can rest, and so we can obey him.
If you do not believe me, try it yourself. Plan the week prior to your rest day then lay on the couch with your loved ones. Keep the tv and movies off, turn your laptops and computers off, turn your phones off and *just be*
5 Things I am Thankful for:
1. Rest
2. Rest times during the week
3. Peace that surpasses all understanding
4. Feelings of refreshment
5. Just being, and just being with my family without commitments
We often think that the commandments and other Christian/bible 'rules' or 'laws' make Christians lack freedom to do as they please. Eg. Going to church every Sunday, not having sex before your married, not stealing or lying, not cheating on your spouse etc.
I've heard it being called 'sheep', 'followers', 'legalistic'. I've even heard the term "free thinkers" as in people who do not believe there IS a God. Do they think Christians are not free to be a free thinker?
I think freely often. I freely think there is a God who created the world and created me.
I used to believe that the laws or rules or commandments were in place to
- Make life difficult
- Just for the sake of it
- Because God said.
For example:
- "Do not lie" lying hurts people, it betrays, belittles, dishonours amongst a tyraid of detrimental feelings.
- "Do not commit adultery" adultery hurts. It also betrays, belittles, dishonours. It's a major cause of divorce and breakups. It's a scandal even for Hollywood.
- "Do not steal" it hurts people. When you are stolen from it makes people angry, hurt, scared. Stealing is taking what doesn't belong to you and are not entitled to. People lose their jobs for stealing.
So you can see the benefits of these three out of 10 Commandments.
But how's this one.. keeping the Sabbath day holy.
What is the benefit of doing this. Simply because we need time to rest, we need time to chill out, I need a day to rest every week.
 |
| Resting at 37 weeks 2013 |
Generally speaking jobs are 5-6days of work with one day off. Even in our society now we generally observe the part that we need to rest.
Feeling that inner call to start having "rest days" I did and was unbelievably rested afterwards.
Even with lots of little kids.
I started chilling out in the lounge, kids playing together on the floor, baby feeding in my lap, bible open and being read, notebook and pen by my side.
Through the week I felt the higher energy, the excitement leading up to my rest days, the closer feeling of God and my personal revelations occuring daily.
I began to learn what 'rest' actually meant. It means a few things really but to a busy mum with lots of little kids it meant learning to just *be*. To just sit and watch, think, watch kids play, to cuddle & hold. To not move. To put my mind at rest and focus on something other than self, house work and jobs.
I find it fun to *just be* with my delightful little kids, afterall, the most common parenting advise is to 'savour it because it goes so fast'.
Im not good at creating new habits and so I stopped for a period of time.
I can feel the difference it has made. I need to go back to Sabbath day of rests, I want to go back, I have gone back.
I am observing in lives around me where activities and busy-ness are at the fore front of their minds, they can not rest, they choose not to rest, any rest opportunities are quickly filled with something else to do and their life suffers from it.
Know what else I'm observing? That people get hurt, spouses lose quality time, children lose time, family members suffer, the individual suffers, relationships suffer, physical health suffers, mental health suffers.
Why did God say to have Sabbath rests? So we can rest, and so we can obey him.
If you do not believe me, try it yourself. Plan the week prior to your rest day then lay on the couch with your loved ones. Keep the tv and movies off, turn your laptops and computers off, turn your phones off and *just be*
5 Things I am Thankful for:
1. Rest
2. Rest times during the week
3. Peace that surpasses all understanding
4. Feelings of refreshment
5. Just being, and just being with my family without commitments
No comments: