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Daily Devotionals
Voice of the Lord
So there remains a Shabbat-keeping for God's people (Hebrews 4:9).
Of all the festivals appointed by God, Shabbat (the Sabbath) stands out as the preeminent celebration. Some think that because it occurs every week, Shabbat is somehow common or mundane. However, our people have always felt the opposite; that is, because Shabbat is so special, it is to be observed every week.
Why is special emphasis put on this holy day? Of the many reasons put forth through the ages, the writer of the Letter to the Hebrews (i.e., Jewish believers in Yeshua) notes a central focus. The very name "Shabbat" means "rest," which is a calling upon all believers in Yeshua. God himself modeled the Shabbat principle; certainly we who are his children are also to rest from our labors in the world.
Too often we fall into the trap of relying on our own "creative power" and not resting in the Lord. Shabbat is God's practical reminder that we are to have a lifestyle of rest in our heavenly Father. He has promised to work all things for his glory, and for our good, as we trust in him (Romans 8:28). Someday, all believers will enter the fulfillment of Shabbat in the eternal Kingdom of God. In the meantime, are we experiencing the weekly spiritual rest that God desires for his children?
...relinquish some of my power to create my own world and let the meaning of Shabbat bring rest to my spirit.
BK
The Voice of the Lord, Copyright © 1998 by the Lewis and Harriet Lederer Foundation, Inc. Published by Messianic Jewish Publishers, Distributed by Messianic Jewish Resources, www.messianicjewish.net. All rights reserved. Used by permission. No part of this article may be reproduced in print or on the web, or transmitted in any form, without the written permission of the publisher.
