Prepare to Keep the Sabbath

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Prepare to Keep the Sabbath
March 21, 22, 2015
         Jeff Lampl  

"Remember that I was the one who gave you the Sabbath  . . . .
Everyone is to stay home and rest on the Sabbath."
Exodus 16:29 (CEV)

Silence  (Two minutes)

Devotional    The Pause That Refreshes  

“The law of the LORD is perfect, refreshing the soul”  Psalm 19:7  

According to motivational speaker David Gee, NBA star Rajon Rondo takes five showers on game days, the last one just a few minutes before tip-off. The reason? He says he does his best thinking in the water.  

That might be a little excessive; but surveys tell us that most of us do our best thinking while we’re showering, driving, or exercising.   For Christians, those simple pauses in the day are great opportunities to practice the art of meditation. When the Bible is inscribed in our minds, it’s waterproof, so we can take it into the shower or bath. We can wash our souls and be doubly refreshed for the day. It’s portable; as we drive to work or school or jog or exercise, we can use the time to meditate on God’s Word and let beloved Scriptures sink into our thoughts.

In 1929, Coca-Cola coined one of its most famous slogans: “The Pause That Refreshes.” For the Christian, the most refreshing pauses during the day are moments when we recall a verse of Scripture and let our minds dwell on it richly.  

Here’s a suggestion for a memory verse, “Because the Lord is my Shepherd, I have everything I need” Psalm 23:1


Question to Consider

 

What passage of Scripture would you do well to memorize and bring to mind over and over again as you practice Sabbath keeping this weekend?    If you use Psalm 23:1, can you imagine situations where you actually believe it's true?  What about today?  Has the Lord provided you all you need for today without going off and finding something to do?  will you practice Sabbath rest?          

 

Prayer from the Sarum Primer of 1538

 

"God be in my head
and in my understanding;

God be in my eyes

and in my looking;

God be in my mouth

and in my speaking;

God be in my heart

and in my thinking;

God be at my end

and in my departing.  Amen"

 

Silence   (2 minutes)

 
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