Under the Jewish law and tradition of the Sabbath, people had to rest from work on specific days for a specific amount of time. What does Sabbath look like for New Covenant followers of Jesus? As a child growing up in church, I only understood Sabbath as my duty and obligation to attend church on Sundays. As I have grown to understand life with Jesus without legalism and law, I have found a whole new, thrilling Sabbath.
Hebrews 4 explains a new rest we have because of the finished work of Jesus Christ. Because of the death and resurrection of Jesus, I am already holy, forgiven, a new creation, and given a new nature. I am sealed in the Holy Spirit, and nothing can change who I am in Jesus. From this new reality in Jesus, I have been invited to rest from my own works.
Hebrews 4:9-10 CSB: Therefore, a Sabbath rest remains for God’s people. For the person who has entered his rest has rested from his own works, just as God did from his.
It is good for our soul to have rhythms of rest. While the Jewish tradition of rest from working Friday to Saturday, we are invited to a better rest. We can rest weekly and even daily in what is already true of us in Jesus. As we slow down, settling in the love of the Father, we experience rest. Rest from the worries of the day and our fears for tomorrow. We rest from the relentless pace of doing and trying. We rest from the obligations we feel from others.
If you can, take a moment after reading this. Be still. Read Ephesians 3:3-6. Take 5 to 10 long, deep breaths. Settle your mind, your body, your heart. Ask Jesus to make his presence and love evident in your thoughts. And rest.
The mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have briefly written above. By reading this you are able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ. This was not made known to people in other generations as it is now revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit: The Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and partners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
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