Personal sabbath time

"Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy."
Exodus 20:8

That id God's command and He expects us to do our sabbath duty by attending Sunday services, worshiping Him in song and prayer. But there is an important aspect of sabbath keeping that we often overlook.

We make sure that we get to the house of God to engage in our usual forms of Sunday worship. We sing songs of praise and adoration to Him for His mercies, goodness and provision. We prayer for our church leaders, local and foreign missionaries, brethren both far and near, for the sick, for our country and government and others across the globe, especially those in political and violent turmoil and experiencing the devastation of natural disasters.

But that is not where our sabbath duty ends.

More than the public display of obedience to this commandment, is the private observance of a personal sabbath with God.

For after we have sung lustily, in key and in harmony; after we have listened to the preacher proclaim His word and have nodded in agreement and said "Amen," we have only done part of our duty.

It is in the quiet moments on the sabbath that God combines all that we have done in the eyes of others with who we are in our hearts and measures it against His word. And it is in that personal quiet sabbath time that we can commune with our heavenly Father and He can bless us in unique ways.

I don't always avail myself of the added privilege of personal sabbath time, as I have described above. I falter and fail far too often than I'd like to admit. But when I do give up my obsessions, my desires and my interests to seek God's face in this manner, on the first day of the week, God never disappoints even when He choses to use the time to rebuke me for commands I disobeyed, sins I committed, idle words I spoke or foolish thoughts I entertained.

I encourage you to extend your sabbath observance to include personal sabbath time with God. It sets the tone for the week ahead and all that it may bring.