Genesis 2:2-3 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.
Over the past week, the world has experienced some intense birth pangs. If you’ve been reading Worthy News over the past week, it's been a busy week.
It seems as if the world is on the brink of going over the edge!
Nevertheless, even in this climate of anxiety, we are preparing to enter into Shabbat (the Hebrew word for Sabbath) this afternoon. And as we do, we remember again, the deep lesson of God's entering into His rest following the six creation days.
After working for six days -- He entered into Shabbat. The word Shabbat comes from the Hebrew verb "shavat", which literally means "to cease". Shabbat implies that we need to stop working -- stop trying -- stop doing...simply, to cease from our own work. We need to simply let go, and let God! In a way, it's a different kind of work.
The writer of the letter to the Hebrews puts it this way: "Let us labor, therefore, to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief." [Hebrews 4:11] So, this is a "work" of faith, where we are no longer working, but trusting God to accomplish the work He has begun and is perfectly able to complete!
This Shabbat, if you dealing with a fear of the future, rest in the fact that YOUR future is already secure in the finished work of Messiah! You can trust Him, in faith, knowing that not a single hair of your head can fall to the ground without Him allowing it!
Enjoy your Shabbat tonight and embrace the profound lesson of the Sabbath – let go, and let God! Remember that the only real rest from anxiety, worry, and fear … is found in HIM – Yeshua, the Lord of Shabbat!
Copyright 1999-2024 Worthy Devotions. This devotional was originally published on Worthy Devotions and was reproduced with permission.
How to display the above article within the Worthy Suite WordPress Plugin.
[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]During World War 2, a staggering 75 million died during those years. In those fateful years, the world fought against the greatest evil it had ever seen, Adolf Hitler and the Nazi regime.
This is an interesting passage of Scripture which details how Josiah, a young and Godly king, went forth to cleanse the land, and in doing so, finds that he was fulfilling a prophecy given years before. Josiah went forth doing what was right — and in doing so, was walking out the works that God preordained for him — he was fulfilling the calling that God had set into motion years before!
Winston Churchill exemplified integrity and respect in the face of opposition. During his last year in office, he attended an official ceremony. Several rows behind him two gentlemen began whispering. "That's Winston Churchill." "They say he is getting senile." "They say he should step aside and leave the running of the nation to more dynamic and capable men." When the ceremony was over, Churchill turned to the men and said, "Gentlemen, they also say he is ...
Historian Shelby Foote tells of a soldier who was wounded at the battle of Shiloh during the American Civil War and was ordered to go to the rear. The fighting was fierce and within minutes he returned to his commanding officer. "Captain, give me a gun!" he shouted. "This fight ain't got any rear!"
I recently arrived back in Israel last week, and upon my arrival, there were severe thunderstorms, something unusual for this time of year. In these thunderstorms, rivers are often created in the desert, and the highway road along the Dead Sea is often closed during this time. Last week, a few people died traveling along this road as its car was carried away by a flash flood. This reminded me of another incident in my own life.
Let's consider Daniel for a moment. Here is one of the great rulers of the Persian empire, in charge of the King's affairs and of the affairs of the entire government. If anyone is really busy -- it's Daniel! But in spite of all this responsibility, he makes it a point to set himself apart from the world and pray three times a day.
Studying some remarkable events in the history of World War 2, we find the deliverance of the allied armies at Dunkirk; a true story of Divine providence in modern history. It was on May 10, 1940, that Hitler unleashed his armies against France and Belgium. Within days, the British army found itself outmaneuvered and unprepared for the German blitzkrieg assault led by General Rommel and his 7th Panzer division.