SABBATH
In today’s society, with our focus on efficiency and productivity, it comes as no surprise that we are plagued with heart disease, high blood pressure and other symptoms of stress. However, at the beginning of time, God provided an antidote to our busy lives: the Sabbath. It serves as a reminder that we don’t have to do it all and helps us to rely on God, who gives us strength.

The Bible tells us that after God created the world in six days, He rested on the seventh day. He sanctified the Sabbath—set it apart as a holy day.  Later, when He gave the Ten Commandments to Moses, God explained the Sabbath in more detail (Exodus 20:8-11).  The Sabbath is a day to remind us that God is the creator and worthy of our worship.

The Sabbath is not an ordinary day for ordinary activities. The Sabbath is a day to put aside work, secular pursuits and self-interests—a day to shut out the clamor and pressures of everyday life to receive the needed gifts of peace and rest. The Sabbath is a special day to worship the creator and commune with Him.

Celebrated from sunset to sunset, the Sabbath is a spiritual experience as well as a time of physical rest.  During His earthly ministry, Jesus made it clear that the Sabbath was made for our benefit.  It was not to be a burden or encumbered with unreasonable man-made rules.  Jesus celebrated the Sabbath by attending the synagogue, healing the sick, and spending time with those He loved.