Refusal

And the Lord said to Moses, “How long will you refuse to keep my commandments and my laws?
Exodus 16:28 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/exo.16.28.ESV

The Israelites were revolting. This time, God was gracious to them and gave them heavenly bread. Even so, they broke His law to rest on the Sabbath.

You’d have thought the Sabbath principle would be the most beloved of God’s laws. After all, who doesn’t enjoy a good rest? Yet we prefer to work even when we should be resting because we don’t trust God to provide.

Israelites celebrated on the seventh day, to recover from the working week. Since Jesus defeated death on the first day, His people meet on that day to fuel us for the working week. Even in this new covenant age we need to take time to rest.

By sinful default, we might think we have to work at all times to validate our existences. Yet God calls us to take time to rest, and simply give Him one day in seven. It’s not too much for Him to ask.

Spiritually as well as physically, we need to rest. We don’t need to work to earn God’s acceptance. We simply need to rest in the finished work of Christ.

‘Dear Father God, we’re grateful that we can rest in You. Please help us to do so, for it doesn’t come naturally to us. In Christ’s name we pray, amen’