Friday: Further Thought ~ The Rhythms of Rest
Further Thought:
“God gave to men the memorial of His creative power, that they might discern Him in the works of His hand. The Sabbath bids us behold in His created works the glory of the Creator. … On the holy rest day, above all other days, we should study the messages that God has written for us in nature. … As we come close to the heart of nature, Christ makes His presence real to us, and speaks to our hearts of His peace and love.” — Ellen G.
Image @ Stan Myers from GoodSalt.com
White, Christ’s Object Lessons, pages 25, 26.
“One of the important reasons why the Lord delivered Israel from slavery to Egypt was that they might keep His holy Sabbath. … Evidently Moses and Aaron renewed the teaching about the holiness of the Sabbath, because Pharaoh complained to them, ‘Ye make [the people] rest from their burdens.’ Exodus 5:5. This would indicate that Moses and Aaron began a Sabbath reform in Egypt.
The observance of the Sabbath was not to be a commemoration of their slavery in Egypt, however. Its observance in remembrance of creation was to include a joyful remembrance of deliverance from religious oppression in Egypt that made Sabbath observance difficult. In the same way, their deliverance from slavery was forever to kindle in their hearts a tender regard for the poor and oppressed, the fatherless and widows.” — Appendix note in Ellen G. White, From Eternity Past, p. 549.
Discussion Questions:
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One of the problems with writing a comment every day is trying to think of something new to say. To make it worse this week, I have read ahead and next week's lesson is also on the Sabbath. So, I have to think up another week of comments on the same topic.
I am taking a sabbatical break from commenting today to stop and think. (William reminded us of the importance of thinking so I will take his advice!)
Instead of a comment, here is one of my Western Australia Wildflower slideshows where you can enjoy watching God's handiwork while you think. Have a blessed Sabbath day as it comes to you in your part of the world.
Western Australian Wildflowers 1
By the way it is in HD high resolution so if you know how to get Youtube on your big TV screen it should look pretty good.
Happy Preparation Day Maurice. I enjoyed the slide show but I do not know the names of all the flowers. I see that it was done one year ago. Is it too late to put the names on each slide?
Hi Emma. Thank you for your kind words. If only you knew the task of naming Western Australian wildflowers. Most of them only have scientific names and even then. Naming becomes a serious problem.
When we did this trip about 5 years ago, on our last Sabbath in WA we visited a church on the edge of the desert. While there we met the elder and in the course of the conversation we got around to the orchids in Western Australia. He told me he was a bit of an orchid expert. so I got out my iPad and showed him some of the photos I had taken. His first words were, "Wow, I've not seen that one before!" In the end he could only identify a few of them - and he had lived in Western Australia his whole life.
I am working on the naming but it is a sort of " till the end-of-life" task.
Thank you, Maurice!! We use a ROKU stick instead of cable TV, and that means we can see Youtube videos directly on our TV. Your Youtube slide shows are totally amazing on a larger screen!
Every moment of every day your subconscious is taking in information that it then uses to either confirm or update your 'worldview'. And this worldview is in turn used as your mental map that will shape what you think, feel and do throughout the day. Being subconscious processes, all of this is outside of your conscious awareness and control - unless you train yourself to stop and intentionally become 'mindful' of what is going on.
Because we live within a secular world, we are constantly exposed to influences that typically ever so subtly shape our mental map and therefore our desires and responses. Satan, being aware of this vulnerability within humans, uses this tendency to draw us away from focussing on being restored within the Kingdom of God and being about Kingdom business.
Sabbath appears to have been designed for us to counter this tendency for our mental map to be drawn 'off-track' via provision of a day each week to step-back and consciously consider where we are headed and whether we have somehow started to wander off-track during the past week.
Here are some questions you can take time to consciously reflect upon with God (Psalm 139:23,24) each Sabbath to help you be intentional about staying 'on-track':
* Who are you God and what are you about?
* What is life really about? What is most important to me in life?
* What do I want my life to be about?
* Are there things in my past week that have impacted or are impacting me in a way that if they continue like this would risk me going 'off-track'? If so, what adjustments might I need to make this coming week?
* Are there people I know that need upholding in prayer, that I've been meaning to contact or that need assistance that I have forgotten about in my busy-ness or other distractedness?
* Is there something I need to do this Sabbath to re-calibrate my mental map and/or my sense of connection with God (eg, Maurice's above invitation to viewing slideshows of God's creation)?
Just incase, what I am inviting is not a works-based or perfection-based suggestion. It is simply a guide to 'working-out' your conscious mind to grow in its God-given capacity to monitor and manage your subconscious whilst living with a sin-infected world that does unfortunately impact us (2 Corinthians 10:5; Romans 12:2).
Phil, I was thinking the 3rd question might be:
"What does God want my life to be about?"
Isn't this the true intention if accepting scriptures such as Matt 4:4, Ps 119:1-3,11,105, etc?
Perhaps all the questions could be summed up with "Is my will entirely surrendered to the will of God?" Naturally, this would imply that one is daily seeking to "understand what the will of the Lord is"(Eph 5:17), and the prayer of Ps 139:23,24 is in fact sincere.
Thanks Robert
The questions I posed were example questions to potentially stimulate Spirit-guided reflection (Psalm 139:23,24). These questions can be customised or used to help generate other questions that are of more relevance to a particular person or their situation. So I am glad you are taking them and personalising them for yourself and your circumstances and hope that others would do the same.
They are most beautiful Bro. Ashton.
Enjoyed watching
Those flowers are looking so real.
That's how beautiful God's creation is.
Thanks for sharing
Thank you Nadine.
Having a living relationship with God brings us to a place where Sabbath enhances our closeness with Him. Looking forward to preparing to see and hear Him becomes the focus when entering Sabbath hours. Sabbath becomes less and less about marking each legalistic task, or making outward appearances that will impress. When we’re in close fellowship with God, Sabbath allows us the time to actually hear His voice so that we are better able to discern His will during our hectic weeks.
There will always be reasons and excuses to avoid surrendering to our Creator by ignoring the Sabbath or making it an endless list of legalistic chores. We can choose to do those things instead of enjoying the rest God created for us to enjoy. Examples are given in scripture of legalistic and liberal deviations from keeping the Sabbath.
Luke 6:6-11 “And it came to pass also on another sabbath, that he entered into the synagogue and taught: and there was a man whose right hand was withered. And the scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the sabbath day; that they might find an accusation against him. But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man which had the withered hand, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood forth. Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it? And looking round about upon them all, he said unto the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he did so: and his hand was restored whole as the other. And they were filled with madness; and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus.”
Exodus 16:22-30. “And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one man: and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses. And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning. And they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade: and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein. And Moses said, Eat that to day; for to day is a sabbath unto the LORD: to day ye shall not find it in the field. Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none. And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none.”
Sabbath reminds us of God’s Creatve power, His gracious provision for us during the week and His loving mercy towards us. It is proof of His desire to commune with us, even now.
It reminds me of the greater family in Heaven who join in worship. One day soon we’ll be home. We’ll be able to see for ourselves His glory and worship Him along with all creation. Sabbath takes my thoughts from the transient temporary home here to the permanent home with God.
What does Sabbath rest mean?
I believe the command from the LORD to give the land a Sabbath rest every 7 years helps me understand.
Lev 25:1-7,18-22
In an economy based mainly on agriculture this is a radical command.
In the 7th year don't plant the fields or prune the vines or even harvest what grows on its own, the land must have a complete rest. What will they live on in the 7th and 8th years before the next harvest? The LORD promised them such a bumper harvest in the 6th year that it would last for 3 years.
If I earned a daily wage would I trust the LORD enough to provide for me if I missed a day's wage every week?
So what does a complete Sabbath rest mean to me? Trusting the LORD to provide for my physical and spiritual growth.
Let go and let God do it.
Hi bro. Maurice.Truly Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed as gorgeously as one of those flowers. Those flowers you so skilfully captured on camera looked resplendent in the colours, designs and even textures with which our GOD of love and beauty arrayed them. Thank you for sharing; it was a joy to watch them especially on the Sabbath.