Author: Cameron Miller
Photographer: Rhonda Logan Bailey
“This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” Psalm 118:24 ESV.
What day is it today? Well, it depends. On the Gregorian calendar, it’s Thursday, the 22 of July, 2021. If you use the Julian calendar, it’s 13 days earlier than that. If you’re a Coptic Christian, it’s the 15th of Abib, 1737. If you’re a frenzied dad, it’s three days until your devotional is due, the one you just started. And, of course, you the reader are probably reading this on a different day than this was written, so it’s none of those dates. But I can guarantee you, whatever calendar you use and whenever you read this, it’s Saturday. How do I know this? Simple: I get it from scripture.
You see, in Genesis 1, we get an account of God creating the heavens and the earth. And there is a pattern: each day God creates some things, pronounces them good, and then the text reads “And there was evening, and there was morning—the (nth) day.” (NIV) This happens at the end of each of the first six days.
And then, on the 7th day, the Sabbath, God rests. Andrew Murray in his book Holy in Christ points out something very interesting. You’d expect the text to read, “And there was evening, and there was morning—the seventh day.” But it doesn’t. It just continues the story. The conclusion: we’re still in the seventh day. If you’re living for the weekend, I have news for you, friend, the weekend is here, and it’s here to stay.
This might seem weird to you, but think about it for a minute. What’s the best day to praise God and walk in fellowship with Him? Today. What’s the best day to realize that God is in control and that the world is not counting on you in your human weakness to keep everything from falling apart? Today. What’s the best day to engage in holy activities, not merely worldly ones? Today.
Under the Old Covenant, Jews were expected to free their slaves every seven years. But God never intended freedom to be an occasional occurrence, it was to become a way of life. Under the New Covenant, the time to set the captives free is now and always. I think it’s the same way with the Sabbath. Resting in God, trusting in His power and provision, and letting His Spirit make you holy, this isn’t an activity to be carried out once every seven days; this is a way of life that we are to walk in at all times.
Lately, I’ve been letting the Enemy whip me into frenzied busywork followed by exhausted idleness. And when I look back at my day, I realize few of the things I got done were things I actually thought were important. When I listen to Satan, I get caught up in his panic. But when I listen to the heartbeat of God, it sets me on a steady rhythm. Even in the busiest of moments, I find rest for my soul, and even seemingly empty moments are redeemed to God’s purposes. Nothing is rushed and nothing is wasted.
There’s more I could say, but I’m sure you’ve got things to do, and I could use some rest. Enjoy your weekend.
Prayer: God, help me trust in You because You’re the source of every good thing I have. Thank You for giving me a chance to play a part in the work that’s being done to transform the world, and thank You that it ultimately relies on You, not me. Grant me the humility to not take any stress upon myself to accomplish anything that’s not of Your will, and give me Your rest even in the most trying of circumstances. Amen.
