Scripture

“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.”

~Exodus 20:8, LSB

Quote

The Sabbath has been put in place for God’s people to show us that He is a God of rest and that in trusting Him we ourselves find our true rest.

~Dana Ortlund

When I was a boy, I got the Sabbath Day confused with the seventh day. It just so happens that the Jewish weekly sabbath in on Saturday the seventh day of the week, but not all Sabbath’s are on Saturday. In Leviticus 23 we are told that the Feast of Trumpets, Feast of Booths and the Day of Atonement were all to be observed as a sabbath, a day of rest. The Day of Atonement falls each year on the 10th day of the Jewish month of Tishrei. Like our Christmas, it could fall on a Saturday every so often but most of the time it did not, yet it was a Sabbath. I believe this is what happened on Passion week, you had the DAY OF ATONEMENT falling on Friday which would make for a double Sabbath. This explains why Jesus was literally in the grace three days and three nights. The Catholic Church came up with this Good Friday deal. I am digressing; the point I want to make is that the SABBATH is woven into the fabric of the universe. It is a part of creation. The Sabbath is a gracious gift from a loving God. It was created with you and I in mind. We all need a Sabbath or a day of rest when our focus is not on the world or its cares, but on the One who created the world by the power of His word.

Are you anxious, agitated or angry? Are you frenetic, frenzied or frantic? Are distressed, discouraged, or distracted? Are you weary, worried or just worn-out? What you need is a sabbath. You cannot live in this sin cursed world without getting ice on your wings. A jet that flies in the upper atmosphere where it is 20 degrees below zero has to have a defroster on its wings. Otherwise, the ice will build up and put the jet down. The cares of this world are the ice on the wings and it will build up: you need a sabbath. So bring you weary souls and tired bodies to worship. Bring all your cares and problems with you and leave them at the altar. Give them to Jesus. Just imagine all your cares as roses and lay them at Jesus feet. He can handle your burden. He actually desires to handle your burden.

A missionary to one of the South American countries was driving his truck up one of the Andes mountains when he came upon a woman who was carried a huge bundle of goods on her shoulder as she climbed the steadily iupward. He stopped his truck and asks her if she would like to ride in the back. She shook her head yes and got in. He drove on but then he looked in his rear view and seen that woman had not taken the huge weight off of her shoulders; she was still under the burden. He stopped and went back to speak with her. It took some time, but he finally convinced her that the truck would carry her burden just as easily as it was carrying her. Cast your burden upon Yahweh and He will sustain you {Psalm 55:22}.

Extra

PTL the high today is 84 and if the long range forecast is right, no more hot weather. I felt great coming to the office this morning. I tried to touch base with our sick folks this week. Melanie Mitchelle goes back to Houston on Monday for stem cell transplant. I have not talked to Gregg this week but Ken Nelson looks good. Ken is taking Chemo. Jo Ann Linderman had a cancer removed and they have more surgery scheduled and she may have to have some radiation: not sure about the treatment. All the seniors I visited are either well or tolerable. I don’t think anyone is worse PTL.

I don’t know about you but for the Bailey’s it is a busy time of year. Ryder plays football and they have a game tonight at Blountsville. Landon coaches the 8th grade team and I have not made a game. They tell me he coaches like his granddaddy…hollows a lot. Ty is in the fall BB league at Cullman and he plays of Tuesday and Thursday night. Josie is on the JV volley ball team and they play twice a week and all day every Saturday. Mylee is on the Cross Country Team and she will be running in the morning at Oakville. Some of you will find this hard to believe, but there will be thousands in Oakville tomorrow. They come from Florida, Tennessee, Georgia and Mississippi. Cross Country may be the fasting growing sport in Alabama. It is definitely a favorite for grand parents, it last less than an hour. If you are wondering about Chloe Bug, she doesn’t do sports: they make her sweat and she does not like to sweat. She is a surfer: she surfs the internet on her I-pad.

Have a great day, thanks for reading the blog.