Happy Labor Day! Hopefully, you are like me and have a lack of plans today. We are hoping to enjoy our family and rest. While I am thankful for a day off, it reminded me of the need of a weekly rest.
Back in March 2008, I preached a message on “The Rest of God” in our Balance series. The big idea was: To experience the rest of God, you must set apart the Sabbath.The fourth commandment is what I think could quite possibly be the most neglected commandment in the Bible: Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy.
Most people think that keeping the Sabbath holy means coming to church on Sunday, but honestly, that has nothing to do with it. God wants you to take a day off. He wants you to take one day out of seven and lie down in green pastures. He wants you to cease from creating to enjoy what’s been created. He wants you to stop working so you can enjoy the benefits from your work. One day a week (Jesus really doesn’t care about which day it is), God desires you to chill.
For those looking for balance, the Sabbath is key. God has given us a buffer every week to stop and reflect, to pray a little longer, to enjoy those relationships that we rush through with every week. Set it apart (aka – keep it holy) every week at least one 24 hour span and don’t let anything get in the way from keeping the Sabbath. You can listen to that message here.
I pray that the rest you experience today will make you long for it on a weekly basis. Since we have started keeping the Sabbath as a family, I have felt like I have accomplished more than any other time in my life. Lately, I have received many questions concerning if I am overloaded or not due to the many things going in with my family and ministry. I can honestly say I have never felt more balanced that I do right now. I work like crazy six days of the week, and then I crash one day of the week. Like Andy Stanley once said, you trust God for seven days of work based upon six days of effort.
To experience the rest of God, you must set apart the Sabbath. I dare you.
Travis Agnew serves as the Lead Pastor of Rocky Creek Church in Greenville, SC. His most recent book is Just (About) Married.
