“And I, God, Blessed and Sanctified the Holy Sabbath”

Understand the Sacredness and Blessings of the Sabbath Day

“And I, God, blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it; because that in it I had rested from all my work which I, God, had created and made”

~ Moses 3:3 ~

What did the Savior mean when He said that “the sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath”? I believe He wanted us to understand that the Sabbath was His gift to us, granting real respite from the rigors of daily life and an opportunity for spiritual and physical renewal. God gave us this special day, not for amusement or daily labor but for a rest from duty, with physical and spiritual relief.

~ Elder Russell M. Nelson – The Sabbath is a Delight – General Conference April 2015 ~

In Word: Struggles and challenges of our lives may leave us feeling drained, exhausted, and lacking in strength and endurance. We may find ourselves emotionally bankrupt. Disappointment and discouraged. A sense of shame and guilt suffocating us. This leaves each one of us feeling restless, disoriented, and tossed to and fro with the worries, anxieties, and cares of this world. Have we forgotten the source of our strength? The power from which we can draw from. Our Heavenly Father is the source of our energy and power.

Scripture shows that God not only rested on the 7th day of creation – but He also blessed and sanctified it. The truth is that God did not need to rest. What this scripture reveals are that God ceased his creative work. This is reflected where God observed all that he created and saw that it was very good (Genesis 1:31). In a way, our Heavenly Father showed us that there is beauty and sacredness in abstaining from all that we are presently engaged in. A moment to pause, reflect, and observe all that is happening in our own lives. It is a time of refreshing and renewing our spiritual strength.

The Sabbath is a time where we connect intimately with our Heavenly Father and fellowship with others. A time of opportunity to serve others. It is a time to reflect on the covenants we have made as disciples of Jesus Christ. Where we fall short, it is a time of seeking forgiveness, walking the path of repentance, and seeking wise counsel from those whom our Heavenly Father has chosen.

The Sabbath is a time for families to reconnect and make time to share in growing and nurture their relationships. Our Heavenly Father did not need to rest – or abstain. Yet, He felt the importance of devoting time to reflect on what matters the most. For Him, we matter, His creation matters. For us, our relationship with Christ and Heavenly Father matter. Our fellowship with one another matters. Our progress toward immortality and eternal life matters.

In Deed: The savior taught that we are to come unto him if we are burdened with the cares of this world. Weary and lacking any strength (See Matthew 11:28-30). In Christ, we may find the necessary rest needed to renew our strength and carry out all that we are asked to do. There is a grave disservice we do to ourselves and our families. Our co-workers, and others within our community when we do not enter a time of rest. The God of all things established a day of rest. A rest from the work that we do. A rest from those things that may be troubling to our hearts and minds. Spiritual growth and discipline require that we enter in and observe a time of rest. A time where we check in and spend time in the service of our Heavenly Father. A time to focus solely on Him and him alone. A time to meditate.

Take a Moment and Ponder: What does it mean to rest in the Lord? How does this help you in your relationship with our Heavenly Father? Do you find yourself burdened with the cares of this world? Feeling without energy? Lacking any direction? The Sabbath is a time for each one of us to connect with our Heavenly Father, to connect with others and to immerse ourselves in a time of rest. To renew our strength and find wisdom to endure. While we are encouraged to do this daily. The Lord decreed that when we enter the day of rest, our hearts will be glad. Our burdens will be lightened. Let us take delight in our time of rest.