Exodus 23 - 5.7.24
SCRIPTURE: Exodus 23: 10 - 12
10 “For six years you are to sow your fields and harvest the crops, 11 but during the seventh year let the land lie unplowed and unused. Then the poor among your people may get food from it, and the wild animals may eat what is left. Do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove.
12 “Six days do your work, but on the seventh day do not work, so that your ox and your donkey may rest, and so that the slave born in your household and the foreigner living among you may be refreshed.
OBSERVATION
Verses 10 – 12 cover the Sabbath Laws about “rest” for all – including when to rest the harvest field, for people and even the animals. I’m currently studying earth science and this week’s chapter happens to cover planting, harvesting, plowing and rotating crops. Science confirms exactly what God gave us in Exodus 23: the ground even needs rest. Farmers today still practice crop rotation every 7 years. They have found it helps prevent disease and it allows time for the ground to recover nutrients for crop use in the future. Throughout time farmers have used this tried and true method that God gave to us.
I love how God also provides the unplowed / unused crops can be used by the poor and wild animals. Although in modern times, allowing the poor to get food from a crop is not possible, the wild animals can sure use them.
Rest for people is another proven fact. We have all heard we need enough sleep per night, take vacations and resting; but God’s standard is more important to our physical and spiritual health. He knows that having a systematic rhythm of rest is important to refresh us. He wants us refreshed in order to do His work. We are also honoring God for all He did in creating the heavens and earth. Genesis 2: 2 says “By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.” We are all created in His image. If He found it important to rest on the 7th day, there’s a good reason for us to also rest. He knows us intimately, cares for us and understands our physical and spiritual need to rest: to “refresh” us.
APPLICATION
In our busy lives, not working on the Sabbath (Saturday for Jews and Sunday for Christians) is easy in principle but our “on the go” society can easily wrap us up in the chaos of life. It’s easy to get swallowed up in our busy lives yet, in all of this, God wants us to rest on the Sabbath. But what does “not working” on the Sabbath and rest look like? In the Jewish culture, not working on the Sabbath is very strict to the point you can’t cook, write, or even brush off mud from your shoes. I don’t think God wants us to be legalistic about it, but we can sure change our schedule to not “work” on the Sabbath and find ways to rest. After church there’s family time, take a walk, a nap, visit with other family and friends, go to a special place, read more of your Bible and simply enjoy all that God has given to us. The ultimate goal of keeping the Sabbath holy is to honor God, give glory to Him for all that He’s provided and rest so we can be refreshed. He has a plan for each of us and needs us refreshed to do His work.
PRAYER
Lord, thank you for caring for us so much. You know each of us intimately and understand how important rest is to us. Help me, Lord, to always keep the Sabbath holy, to rest, to reflect, and to restore. Forgive me when the busyness of life can feel so consuming and “work” creeps into life on the Sabbath. Help me to realize those times of busyness and to reflect on other ways to rest in You. In Jesus name! Amen
- Mary Oberg
Luke 24 - 5.6.24
Scripture
Luke 24:51-52
While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. Then they worshipped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.
Observation
Jesus had revealed Himself to His disciples. He was alive! After spending some time with them, catching up, teaching and eating, He “was taken up into heaven.” (Vs. 51) The first thing the disciples did, after Jesus left to be with the Father, was worship and praise Him with great joy continually at the temple! The resurrection had inspired hope and purpose in the disciples’ lives. Jesus was (and is) alive!
Application
When feeling joyless, hopeless, confused, or even doubtful about the faith, go back to the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Jesus’ resurrection gave the disciples joy, hope and purpose. His resurrection is the basis of our faith in Him. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:14, “And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.”
How has Jesus’ resurrection changed our hope and purpose in life?
Prayer
Dear Lord,
I always have a reason to praise You. Your death has put to death my old life and saved me from hell, but Your resurrection has given me new life and purpose in You! May I be like the disciples when they discovered You were alive and continue to praise and worship You with my whole heart and soul until You return. Amen!
Psalm 134-”Praise the Lord all you servants of the Lord who minister by night in the house of the Lord. Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the Lord. May the Lord bless you from Zion, he who is Maker of heaven and earth.”
-Michelle Gaddi
Luke 23 - 5.3.24
Scripture: Luke 23:38-43 NIV
”There was a written notice above him, which read: This is the King of the Jews. One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”“
Observation:
Jesus, who changed the world one person at a time, was on the cross dying for our sins between two criminals. Pilate had hung a sign above his Head that stated, “This is Jesus King of the Jews.” One of them hurled insults at him. Interestingly he did refer to Jesus as the Messiah. Then asked why He wasn’t saving Himself and them too. The truth is Jesus was leveling his request up. He was actually saving them in a more complete way. The other criminal rebuked that man and asked Jesus to remember him when he came into his kingdom. This man acknowledged Jesus as well and had faith that Jesus would be returning to His Kingdom. Jesus saw that faith and told him that today he would be with him in paradise. Jesus was still touching lives on the cross.
Application:
So many great truths in these verses. This is the scripture that encouraged me when my grandpa passed away. On his deathbed he could receive Jesus. He made prayer hands when he couldn’t speak. It was about an hour before he passed. I prayed for him and he appeared to see something and was reaching toward the ceiling of his room. God gave me assurance grandpa was entering paradise.
Reading this today what stood out to me was Jesus saw the eternal need. He knew it was more vital than the instant one. He withstood insults and even worse on the cross so that all who call on Him, as the thief did, can spend eternity with Him in God’s presence in Paradise. The thieves died that day. We know one’s eternity, more amazing than we can imagine, was just beginning.
I want to never give up hope. I want to consider if my meeting someone’s instant want or need is going to help them reach their most urgent need, salvation.
Prayer:
Lord, thank you for all you did for my salvation. You endured so much and I can never repay you.
Just like the thief hurling insults sometimes what I think is best isn’t.
Please help me trust you.
Then, as I am your hands and feet to this world, please help me keep going when times are tough. I choose to seek what is the best action to take as I step out to help others. Saving someone from a problem may help temporarily. However, I want to remember that tough things and sacrifice bring eternal results far beyond what I can see. Paradise will be incredible. Until I get there, I look forward to being amazed at all you will do through those who love you and walk in your will.
Amen
- Cindy Howard