Rest: An FCA Devotional For CompetitorsSample

Any Given Sabbath

Ready: “And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when He rested from all His work of creation.” - Genesis 2:3

Set: In the beginning, God created the heavens and earth. He then crafted man and woman into His image, and called everything good. And when He dawned the seventh day on the timeline of history, God set it aside and allowed Himself to pause and reflect on His work. 

This “rest” principle set from the beginning of the universe is still true today. The word Sabbath means “to cease” or “to rest.” Cease from what? I believe we’re to cease from our work trying to earn God’s favor.

Anyone who trusts Jesus as Savior and Lord ceases from his own attempts of righteousness and falls into the arms of Jesus and His finished work on the cross. For the rest of our time as believers on this earth, we can continually celebrate this precious Sabbath every moment, just like God did every day in creating the world. He stops and sees it is good.

As coaches and athletes, our weekly schedules are packed. So, whether it’s Sunday, Saturday, or any other day of the week, you should have a special day to celebrate Christ’s finished work. I believe it’s also important to have a daily Sabbath period of time where God and I get to celebrate Jesus’ work with a daily rest consisting of studying His Word, prayer, or worship with one or a few fellow believers. 

Always remember: God created us in His image, and He decided from the beginning that rest was “very good.” We can trust in His model that good things will come from rest. – Ron Brown

Go:
1. What is one area of your life and sport that you struggle with slowing down?
2. What is a practical step you can take to cease striving to keep up with the crazy speed of the sports world?
3. What is one way you can take a Sabbath rest with God today?

Overtime: Lord, when life gets too chaotic, help me to pull back and rest in You. Let me honor Your Sabbath and drink my fill of You so I may better pour myself out to those around me. Amen.This text appeared in FCA Magazine’s Finish Strong column titled “Any Given Sabbath.” To read the column in its entirety, click http://www.fca.org/magazine-story/2016/12/29/any-given-sabbath