I’m not an expert on this subject.  Sunday I’ll be preaching to myself as well as to you.  The title is “Be Free to Rest.”  It’s from Leviticus 25:1-18.  We’ll talk about “Give It a Rest,” verses 1-8; “Announce Your Rest,” verses 9-12; and “Be Free Yet Responsible,” verses 13-18.  The passage is God’s message through Moses to Israel, giving the people, the land and the economy the Sabbath rest, the Year of Jubilee and the Day of Atonement.  Today we need to follow the principles of this passage in order to exercise the rhythm of rest.

When Nancie and I got married we spent the night in Scottsdale, Arizona where the wedding took place.  Then we traveled by car to Texas where I was in seminary.  Our honeymoon was that trip, which included Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico.  Meanwhile, my mom and dad were taking our stuff to Texas.  When we got to where we were to live, my mom asked us why we took so long!  That was not the ideal honeymoon!  Newly married couples should take time to leisurely get to know each other.

On the other hand, we took our time having kids.  That’s good.  Married couples should take their time having kids so they can learn to live together in harmony before taking on the responsibility of raising other human beings!

There are so many things to do, and so many ways to be entertained and so many people for whom we can care.  But we must take time to rest.  This involves physical rest, but mostly, it involved spiritual rest.  We must learn to rest in God’s grace.  Otherwise, we become easy targets for Satan who wants us to be troubled and uptight.  Remember, resting in Christ requires faith, and without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6).  Join us Sunday as we learn to rest.  And men, join us Saturday at 8:00 for a great breakfast and time of devotion and prayer.

Happy New Year!

Love,

Jim Meek