God Wants You to Restنموونە

Rest As Liberation

Remember that you were slaves in Egypt. . . . Therefore . . . observe the Sabbath day. -Deuteronomy 5:15

An old preacher once said, “God sought to liberate Israel not only from the Kingdom of Egypt, but also from the Egypt of the Heart.” In other words, the tragedy of physical slavery led the Israelites to the gradual paralysis of mental slavery. God’s commandment to keep the Sabbath day was meant to encourage His people to experience the freedom they attained after being liberated to worship Him.

However, the kingdoms of this earth are not the only ones capable of enslaving people. There are also the powers of darkness. On one occasion, Jesus was criticized for healing on the Sabbath day; and in response to His critics, He rebuked them for being hypocrites. To Jesus’ critics, it was okay to untie an ox or donkey to give it water on the day of rest; but it wasn’t okay to heal a woman whom Satan had oppressed for eighteen years (Luke 13:15–16).

God commanded Sabbath rest to experience freedom from the bonds of slavery. But how could someone rest—much less, worship God—when you’re still bound by restlessness in the spirit? The day of bodily rest is also a day of spiritual freedom.

Jesse Rojo

What’s currently holding you back from resting and worshiping as a part of setting aside a Sabbath rest? How can remembering that the concept of Sabbath rest is spiritual freedom help you take a break from work?

Dear Father, I pray that Your freedom may not only release me from earthly bondage, but also from spiritual bondage. Please help me to find rest in You so I may worship You fully.