Why should the Sabbath matter to us?

March 20 - March 24, 2023 | Always Peachy Devotionals | Rest Week 3

Amy C. Williams

Mar 19, 2023

Happy Spring!

Well, not quite yet. But in a few days, spring will finally have sprung, although if you’re in the Central Plains, it’s most likely that we’re having another snowstorm (I wrote this a few weeks ago and we literally just had a blizzard yesterday). At least in Kansas, winter seems to be lasting until April.

I hope all of you are taking care of yourselves and making time to rest and spend time with Jesus every week. Obviously, if you can do that every day, it’s even better. But once a week, we each need to be setting aside time to acknowledge who Jesus is and what He’s done for us.

In the month of March, we’re talking about Sabbath Rest. We’ve defined it, so we know what it is now. We discussed last week why the Sabbath matters to God. But this week, we’re going to talk about why the Sabbath should matter to us.

It’s super easy to acknowledge why something matters to God. He’s God. Of course super Bible-ish things matter to Him, and as His followers we should TRY to do what He says. But, let’s be honest, how often do we choose to CARE about what matters to God?

When it comes to the Sabbath, I think it’s probably time to start caring. And here are five reasons why:

March 20 - The Sabbath matters to Jesus
March 21 - You have limitations
March 22 - Jesus gives us success
March 23 - We are too easily distracted
March 24 - We are generally forgetful people

My hope and prayer for each of you this week is that you come to understand the love of God more fully and more deeply than ever. I always used to see the Sabbath as an old-fashioned idea that didn’t matter anymore. It was part of the Law, and since I’m not under the Law (I’m under Grace, thank God!), the Sabbath didn’t apply to me.

But then I started reading this thing called the New Testament, and the Sabbath shows up there too. And not just because Jesus was Jewish. It was humbling, to be sure, and I’m excited to share what I’ve learned with you. Because there’s something really important to understand about the Sabbath, and it’s so important I figured we should memorize it. This is in Mark 2:27.

Then Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath.

Whoa. I think this is one of history’s great *mic drop* moments. I wish we had this on video when Jesus dropped this truth bomb on those stuck-up Pharisees.

The Sabbath was made for people. Not the other way around.

A day of rest is a gift God wants to give us, to support us, to help us, to grow us closer to Him. It’s not a cold, relentless, unyielding law intended to be used as a hammer. Not at all.

I can’t wait to dive into this study, my friends. Please know how much I love each of you. Make space in your life to rest. We all need it. And, what’s more, God is longing to spend time with you.

Love

Amy

Remember! These Sunday intro emails are free, but if you want the actual daily devotions, you need to subscribe: