Day of Rest, To Obey or Not

We’ve always had a day off during our years of ministry, but here in India Pastor Moses and I have never taken a day off.  One day in 7 means 4 days off while here, and that means 2 less 2-day conferences, or 300+ pastors and wives that we don’t reach.  However God has convicted us of not taking a day off and we have started taking some days off this trip.  We didn’t have one for the first 2+ weeks, though, and that caught up with us.  I think a lot of my throat and other issues could have been avoided had we had some time off.  It’s becoming more and more evident that if we are going to keep doing this for years to come, we have to set a slower pace while here.  Quality means more than quantity.

The 6 conferences we have had so far have been excellent.  God has clearly and deeply spoken to the men and women who have come.  His blessings on all of us are beyond anything we could have expected.  The response of those who attend is overwhelmingly enthusiastic.  And it isn’t for me or for our program – it’s for the wonderful Savior and majestic God we serve.  He deserves, and gets, all the glory, honor and credit for it all.  The pastors and wives leave better educated and very motivated to have godly lives, families and ministries.  They better know God’s Word and how to use it.  Their understanding of the Bible as well as how to study it, develop sermons and use spiritual warfare is greatly increased.

Still, the toll on us is high.  As we age it hits us harder each year.  We shouldn’t need so many medications to keep going.  We have broken one of God’s basic principles and, no matter how well we justified it in the past, it is clear it must change from here on if we are to pace ourselves and do our maximum best throughout.  We want to finish strong in India as well as life.  We may not be under the law to have to observe a 24-hour rest on Saturday, but God’s principle of resting one day in seven still remains.  As with all He says, there is a good reason behind it.

Exodus 20: 8-11  “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

How are you at taking a day a week off to rest?  We try to be good stewards with our money and give a percent to God, what do we do the same with our time?

What do you need to do to comply with God’s principle of resting one day a week?

C t O Rev. Dr. JERRY SCHMOYER
Christian Training Organization
jerry@ChristianTrainingOrganization.org
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