Fresh & Flourishing In God's Presence

Last week, we discovered rest is serious business to God. Were you able to find time to rest, refuel, and reconnect with God, in other words, to observe the Sabbath as God commands? If you were, awesome! Keep it up in the coming week. If you struggled finding that time, let’s learn more to help you claim your day of rest.

I can see you now, thoughts racing, “Are you kidding me? I can’t stop everything for an entire day every week! I have too much to do, too many people counting on me! If I stop everything will fall apart!”

Take a breath, and let’s read Isaiah 30:15 together, “This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: ‘In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.’” God says we can have a day of rest, in fact, He commands it. He even tells us how, “in quietness and trust.” In other words, “Sabbath keeping” requires faith! Much like tithing, “Sabbath keeping” releases God’s supernatural blessing on us. 

For many of you, like tithing, you may believe there is simply no way you can do it. Yet, God says you can and you should. When you observe the Sabbath by unplugging and resting according to His command, God’s supernatural blessings will be on the other six days! No doubt, God can accomplish more in six days with His supernatural blessing on you than you can accomplish in seven days without Him. In fact, if you ignore the Sabbath and work seven days a week, you won’t find His miraculous help, provision, favor, or increase God's promises. 

Psalm 92 is subtitled, “A Psalm. A Song for the Sabbath Day.” It gives us a glimpse into the additional benefits of “Sabbath keeping.” The Psalmist begins, “It is good to give thanks to the Lord, And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning, And Your faithfulness every night, On an instrument of ten strings, On the lute, And on the harp, With harmonious sound. For You, Lord, have made me glad through Your work; I will triumph in the works of Your hands.” He reminds us keeping the Sabbath is all about worshiping the Lord, and he adds in verse 10, “But my horn You have exalted like a wild ox; I have been anointed with fresh oil.” The psalmist goes on in verse 13-14, “Those who are planted in the house of the Lord Shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bear fruit in old age; They shall be fresh and flourishing…”

In the coming week, may we have the faith to keep the Sabbath rest and experience a fresh anointing (spirit and power) from the Lord as we flourish in His presence.