One morning, I was surprised to see my mail carrier lugging his heavy bag. I asked him why he was delivering mail on Sunday, and he curtly responded with a single word: “Amazon.” The online retailer had started offering Sunday delivery, so it was no longer a day of rest for postal workers.
In Deuteronomy 5, God mandated that Israel observe the Sabbath with its rest requirements. Not just the men and women of Israel were to rest on Saturday—but their children, their servants, and even their work animals (Deuteronomy 5:14). In Exodus 23:10-11, we see that the land itself was also supposed to enjoy a Sabbath rest every seven years.
There’s a very good reason for the all-encompassing nature of this command: If the people of Israel didn’t observe the Sabbath, then neither could their servants, the most vulnerable and likely overworked group. The foreigners of Israel, being of a lower social standing and with fewer resources, would also not be able to afford to stop working. That’s why God “commanded” all people to rest (Deuteronomy 5:15)—not to be domineering, but because each person’s Sabbath was interconnected with the wellbeing of others.
I often fail to recognize the interconnected nature of our lives, how my personal lack of rest can rob other people of their rest in turn. But as 1 Corinthians 12:12 tells us, believers in Jesus are one body, and what affects one part of the body affects the others. A manager might make a personal choice to never take a break at work, but the truth is that everyone around her is affected by that choice as well.
Regardless of the day, may we choose to regularly rest to honor God and bless those around us! (Deuteronomy 5:14).
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Proverbs 4:1-27
More:
Read Matthew 11:29 to be reminded that the most perfect rest we experience is the rest found in the presence of Jesus.
Next:
Have you ever had an experience where one person’s lack of rest affected your ability to rest? How might your lack of rest rob others of theirs?
Gary Shultz on May 19, 2017 at 5:46 am
Hi Peter: Interesting, how what we do cascades to others. I do agree with you, that we as a people need rest. The root of why, would be a much different concept. Although, what we may engage in during the acknowledged day of rest may cause others to work, do others working create the opportunity not to rest? It’s like which came first the chicken or the egg (we know that as believers)? So the argument could go on and on. I have taken a closer look at my habits in the last year or so with the day of rest. It is much easier for me, I have no children at home, no sports or activities any more, but all of that seem to slide on a priority scale. That’s why for me, the number one reason to have a day of rest is because God said to do that. He set an example in the creation week, in corporate worship, and included it in the top ten list of commandments, yes commandments. So if we believe what God says, it may do well for us to abide by the forth commandment. Thanks Peter
sandy229 on May 19, 2017 at 9:36 am
I so agree with you Gary, when God said for us to rest on the Sabbath, it was not a suggestion, but a commandment.
corgimom on May 19, 2017 at 6:05 am
Peter, this brings up the “great debate” of whether stores should be open on Thanksgiving Day (here in the US) or closed so folks will spend time with families. Also the debate on whether stores should be open on Sunday. Because stores are open on those days doesn’t mean I have to shop. But it DOES mean that the folks who work there are not able to enjoy their families or their day of rest. I appreciate your take on this commandment that this is not necessarily for ME to rest, but to enable OTHERS to rest as well, changing the focus of the commandment from an inward-looking to an outward focus. Very good!
sandy229 on May 19, 2017 at 9:52 am
I remember the days when stores were closed on Christmas and Thanksgiving, and on Sunday’s. Then one year a store called, 2 Guys was open on Thanksgiving, and I was thinking how unfair that was to those who were working, but I also thought no one would shop on Thanksgiving because it takes time away from their families, but evidently it caught on because it went viral from there, and now they have to not only work on Thanksgiving, but the hours they are expected to work are outrageous! God set a good example for us when He rested on the seventh day, so we should follow it and obey His commandment, and it will enable others to do the same.
godlove on May 19, 2017 at 6:38 am
I see here a very practical application of the Command to love one another. GOD made us to enjoy life in community with others. Sometimes we don’t realise that our lives are very interconnected, so much so that (seemingly-) personal decisions we make usually do not affect just us alone but almost always affect others around us as well. There is no such thing as “my life,” whether we make good or bad decisions for ourselves we are bound to affect other people, positively or negatively. As in Philippians 2:3 “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,” we are called upon and exhorted to put our concern for others above self-interest. Even if we do not want to do it for ourselves and for our health, let us make time to rest for the sake of others. Thank you, Peter, a blessed weekend to you and to everyone on here.
sandy229 on May 19, 2017 at 9:55 am
That’s so true godlove, what we do, does affect those around us, and we need to put our concern for others above our own interests. We need to also set a good example for them, so that we practice what we preach so to speak. Good word for today godlove.
Shalom
conmeo on May 19, 2017 at 11:58 am
Greetings fellow ODJers. Thank you all for your blessings here. This is a difficult yet practical exhortation for us in the 21st century. Godlove methinks you hit the nail on the head. Our command to love one another, the Royal Law and how we can apply it in the world and most importantly in service to our Lord. I remember stores not only closed on Sunday, but many would close down at noon on Saturday. Fond days of a Saturday afternoon with family and significant friends and Sunday’s of Worship and rest. Four years ago I found myself in a position to love my brother-in-law (T) and sister(B) in that he has late stage Alzheimer’s and needed the aid of others to care for him and make ends meet and keep him home and to keep their home. This meant I would be working nights at my job. Then I met a widow with children which added to the Royal Law love I was able to share. Now I would also be working weekends away from home. While always keeping up with my Church family in Worship on Sundays (with a fair amount of pressure from employer to work Sunday mornings) this meant no “real” Sabbath. I learned to adapt, taking 15 minute naps here and there to rest. Sometimes they were 30 minutes….what a gift. The bottom line, the Lord provided me with the rest needed to do the work of His love with His provision. Did this affect others? Certainly and not always in a good and positive way. Relationships suffered and still do to this day very sadly; and those unreconciled relationships are a huge thorn in my side (and hole in my heart), but compared to the sufferings of Our Lord for us? Not so much. Praise God for the “rest affect” His love graces us with. Please pray for Harry and Dottie, lifelong servants of our Lord who are experiencing difficulties with late life stage dementia and all the emotional and physical challenges that brings. May God grant them strength and healing as they struggle. Peace be with you all. Be Blessed
Tom Felten on May 19, 2017 at 9:16 am
Peter, I so appreciate the encouragement to strive for rest each week. It may not be the same day for each of us, but as we rest in God and gain physical rest we’ll have so much more to offer to Him and others.
remembered on May 19, 2017 at 10:41 am
I really do appreciate the inspired daily quotes and stories on “Our Daily Journey”; however, I feel it necessary to bring the following to your attention regarding the true day of Rest set aside by God: http://amazingdiscoveries.org/S-deception-Sabbath_change_Constantine
remembered on May 19, 2017 at 10:54 am
I hadn’t realized I shouldn’t leave a Link to another website, and don’t know how to edit my previous comment. There are only eight texts in Scripture that have to do with the first day of the week, and none of them sites a divine mandate or fiat to change the Day of Rest that God set aside at Creation, for man to “remember” (see Exodus 20:8-11). While I wish to respect the free right of everyone to decide what day to rest on, I must “remind” everyone to “remember” GOD’S opinion, as He is Lord of the Sabbath (Matthew 12:8; Mark 2:28; Luke 6:5).
remembered on May 19, 2017 at 11:02 am
A friend of mine recently relayed to me how he was driving with a friend of his one day. They had been talking about the evil in the world, and how things seem to be escalating. My friend had reminded him how the Sabbath has been “changed” by man, and will soon become a test of Faith. After a few minutes, his friend blurted out, “How could most of the world be wrong? According to my friend, his immediate reply was quite out of character for him, as he isn’t usually “thinking on his feet”. His answer even startled him: “Why did ONLY eight people get on the Ark at the time of the world-wide Flood of Noah’s day?”
remembered on May 19, 2017 at 11:06 am
(Typo correction): There are only eight texts in Scripture that have to do with the first day of the week, and none of them (c)ites a divine mandate or fiat to change the Day of Rest
sandy229 on May 19, 2017 at 12:05 pm
I wanted to say, it doesn’t really matter, because nowadays, we give God our first day of the week, but then I thought about this.
Be warned that vain theological quarreling can be ruinous and is almost never helpful. 2 Timothy 2:14
Avoid being drawn into arguments or quarrels. Learn to encourage others to believe and practice truth, but do so gently and kindly. 2 Timothy 2:24-26
Faith believes absolutely in the divine inspiration of the Scriptures. Therefore, the person of faith has a very high view of the Bible and is able courageously to face opposition unmoved.
One who pursues holiness will do so with spiritual wisdom, spiritual perception, and a wise value system, realizing that any theological quarreling for the sake of argument is unproductive and refusing to be drawn into it. Rather, they learn to gently persuade others to godliness, not being easily deceived by feigned godly behavior. They also recognize the human tendency to avoid the demands of truth and to listen, rather, to what they want to hear.
remembered on May 19, 2017 at 2:39 pm
” it doesn’t really matter, because nowadays, we give God our first day of the week…” “Faith believes absolutely in the divine inspiration of the Scriptures.”
I appreciate the texts you shared, Sandy, and I must say that God, the Creator, is certainly inspired. It is God that told mankind to “remember” the Sabbath day, and to rest on it on the 7th day of the week. I so appreciate Christ’s comment, when he said to a certain lawyer as recorded in Luke 10:26 “What is written in the law? how readest thou?” Interesting, isn’t it, that Christ kept the 7th day as Sabbath while He lived on earth in the likeness of our sinful flesh; and, the disciples and apostles all kept it AFTER CHRIST’S RESURRECTION. So; where does man get the idea that “”we” give God our first day of the week”?
If you are married, I dare say you significant Other would begin to wonder about YOUR commitment to your relationship were you to say on their Birthday; Father/Mother’s Day; Anniversary; ” Oh, It doesn’t really matter, I’ll choose ANY day I; that, I, want, regardless how you may feel about it”.
“The demands of Truth” come from “the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (John 14:6) Let’s REMEMBER His words. Consider the possibility that rather than, “quarreling for the sake of argument”, I am seeking with my whole heart to, “expounded (to you) the way of God more perfectly (Acts 18:26); “building (you up) on your most holy faith” (Jude 1:20). “they that KEEP the commandments of God, (HAVE) the faith of Jesus” (Revelation 14:12) They remember the Inspired record of Creation, that God, “cannot lie” (Titus 1:2), and whatever He declares, IS. God says of His WORD, “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”
Had the Israelites of the Exodus from Egypt at Mt. Sinai, when God declared the Ten Commandments to them, instead of saying, “All that the LORD hath spoken we will do.”; had humbly replied as did Mary when the Angel announced to her that she would conceive of the Holy Ghost, “be it unto me according to thy word” (Luke 1:38), they would have crossed Jordan into Canaan the FIRST time.
So it is with those born of the Spirit of God. The Spirit leads them into all truth, joyfully letting “the word of Christ” dwell in them richly (Colossians 3:16). enabling them to “quench all the fiery darts of the wicked” (Ephesians 6:16), and ” lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us…run(ning with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith”. THIS, is the day of Rest God means His people to share with Him in commemoration of His work of Creation of both the World, their justification, AND their sanctification.
Hebrews 4:
4 For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.
5 And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.
6 Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:
7 Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
8 For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.
9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.