russbutcher.com

Sabbath

I do not Sabbath very well.  I know, I know!  I am a pastor and I am supposed to be an example in these things. 

This past Saturday, Craig and I along with our elders were faced with a tough decision.  With the weather forecast looking dismal we prayerfully made a decision to cancel our Sunday morning gathering.  I hate decisions like that.  It is a bummer to miss gathering together period, plus the added factors as losing momentum, the financial burden of lost tithes and offerings, and thinking “who was planning to be there that we will not have another chance to share Jesus with?” 

It is easy to second guess any decision in the past, but I believe we made the right decision with the information made available to us.

The result was a beautiful “Sabbath” Sunday for myself and my family!  We were able to truly have a day without an agenda and simply hang out with one another and “do nothing”.  It was a great day. 

I am learning to fully trust God in all areas and choose to ‘rest’ in Him rather than stress over things that I have no control over.  The sin associated with stress and worry results from not fully trusting God.  If what I believe is true, God is in control and He fully knows what is best for you and me.  I simply need to move beyond a cognitive belief and literally trust Him wholeheartedly with this reality. 

I have wondered this week about lost momentum, finances, and people that were planning on coming to our gathering, but the reality is that God saw to it that we would experience an unplanned Sabbath. 

I need to cherish the Sabbath and I trust Him to take care of the rest.

Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)
²⁸ “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
³⁰ For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”