Start each day by reading the Scripture. During this reading plan, we’ll then use the summary provided here to guide our discussion around the daily reading.
The Israelite people were called to set aside a holy day of rest, called the Sabbath. This weekly rhythm of ceasing from work made space for the Israelites to remember, in every day and moment, the fullness of the rest they were promised.
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85 thoughts on "A Holy Rhythm"
I’m so glad to read this today! I just quit a job that kept me from attending church on Sundays and it was such a joyful day today to go to church again!!! Praise God!
I need to work on moving more work to Saturday so Sunday can be a true day of rest for us.
Instead of getting caught up in the law of the sabbath, i am going to try to be in awe of the Lord of the sabbath
Resting in his presence ❤️
A great reminder that we need to learn to rest in the LORD to be refreshed.
Working on schedules to try to make the sabbath more restful. We have failed to rest on that day and have been worn out because of it.
it’s powerful that our relationship with Christ requires rest!
Challenged and encouraged by this teaching today.
Yes! So important to schedule in some rest. Rest with God and with loved ones. We weren’t made to carry on forever and ever:
Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath, He gives us, His children, rest for He even says to come unto Him when we are weary and heavy laden for He will give us rest! thank you Lord Jesus Christ for being our Lord of the Sabbath Amen
Sabbath rebounded Israel that they were made holy by God, not by the work they did.
The thing that really stuck out to me was how important the sabbath is to God. When he said in Exodus “Above all else keep my Sabbath” as it was a sign of a covonnent
it is important admits the craziness and busy schedules we may find ourselves in that we set aside time to rest and just rest in the presence of our sweet sweet savior ❤️
Rest was created to set the Israelites apart as people of God. Our choice and obedience to rest — to carve out portions of our “precious” time to find true rest in God — makes us look different to the rest of the world. I’ve never thought about how my commitment to sabbath rest is perceived by the rest of the world. It makes us different.
What does sabbath really mean? I don’t think I do this well. I need to think about sabbath rest.
The thing that stood out to me was that the Sabbath was made for man, so we will slow down and rest. Granted some people now days may need to work before they can rest. I’m retired now so I’m not working as hard as I used to, but I remember being so busy with family and work and even church and now I understand this is God looking out for us and making us stop and rest for our benefit. The other thing that I took away from this scripture reading is that Jesus got angry, oh yes I know the time he got angry about the money changers at the temple, but I learned today that He was angered and grieved by the Pharisees and the hardness of their hearts that they would use what God set for our good not to do good for others like the man with the shriveled hand.
This was a good reading for me. It made me realize the importance of resting on the Sabbath and I’m going to make sure that I take the time to keep that sacred rest with the Lord in remembering that we honor the Lord our God when we rest on the Sabbath. I found myself doing that more when I was living in the South but once I moved to New York City. I got caught up in the rat race of chasing the cheese. So I’m blessed to be reminded the importance of resting. God will provide all our needs according to his riches and glory.
Reading everyone’s response helped me understand the passage more even though it’s was a rest day not everyone rest day is similar what u consider work others enjoy it and find rest in it :)
Healing is my portion!
Agreed! The last few years with the pandemic showed us there is an alternative pace to life. We don’t have to rush and hurry all the time. Recently, the Lord has been speaking to me regarding rest and sabbath. We have put it into practice the past month or so and it is so life giving. I look forward to it each week!
I love this! I was just having this conversation last week before I had the chance to read this. I love working in my flower beds it’s relaxing for me & I spend the time in conversation with God almost the entire time. Most would say I’m working, reality is I’m resting with God. ❤️
Amen. I’m working in Turkey now – the entire nation is in deep grief and anger at so many lives lost. Many cities are entirely ruined, including Antakya, which is ancient Antioch, where the followers of Christ first called themselves Christians.
11 You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. 13 “You are to speak to the people of Israel and say, ‘Above all you shall keep my Sabbaths, for this is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I, the Lord, sanctify you. 27 So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them. – Psalms 16:11,13,27 we all need rest and He wants us to have rest.
Marnie- I love this perspective ❤️
It’s interesting how we a society idolize business. Where this does 2 things. 1 it becomes our first God- which there’s an abundance wrong with that and then we don’t rest and we come hardened as a culture. There’s a lot of clarity coming from this- and in saying this I confess that I too am guilty of these things. We as a family are observing the sabbath from here on and I’m cooking all day today lol. So I can just rest after church tomorrow.
The Lord telling us that we need to rest and us accepting the grace of his word is essential to us knowing how necessary rest is to our lives. We need to know that it’s okay to take our time off of work wether that is a job or even work in our homes to rest. Wishing everyone the rest they need during our weeks of hard work!!
Balance in life is what the Sabbath brings. Our lives pre-CoVid was all about working 24/7, but now we realize how much we need rest. A lot of businesses have adopted this back and are no longer open 24/7. We need rest that only Jesus can provide.
I love this because I am getting more and new insights of the sabbath! That is why it says everyone’s sabbath will be different and look different because what looks like work to one person may be enjoyable for another. That’s why judgement is for God alone! — I love when the disciples picked grain and Jesus says even David ate when he was hungry! What to them was work was the disciples way of eating! I never saw it that way.
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This reading plan on rest came at the perfect time. Thank you Jesus!
This reading plan on rest is perfect timing! Thank you Jesus!
The rhythm God creates for us with sabbath is also what creates balance in our lives. Taking that time to rest and worship him without life’s distractions is good for our souls.
My Bible said the same thing and I wrote that down!!!
The thing that stuck out to me most was Jesus anger and sadness about their hardened hearts. They were so focused on the law and what seemed to be right that they couldn’t see what was right in front of them, or that good deeds have no limitations. How often to be look past what is right in front of us in neglect for something we think we ought to do or be?
Thank you Lord for commanding us to rest. How merciful is this commandment. I was exhausted beyond exhaustion, until the Lord allowed burn out to overtake me. The Lord never sleeps nor slumbers, He will provide for us. So we must cease from our labour to trust and surrender to Him. God rested and was refreshed. If we rest in God, we too will be refreshed. Amen and glory be to Him. Praying for Tammy for the rare form of cancer, and victims of Turkey Syria earthquake. Be blessed dear sisters.
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Dear sisters, I ask can we please lift the people of Turkey and Syria in prayer. The death toll is now over 20,000. I was an ESL teacher for several from that were from that area and now live in RI. They all still have children and family still in the area. Thank you.
I love that God says it’s not just ok, but necessary for us to rest. I know as a mom I sometimes feel guilty going off by myself and resting with Jesus. But I know to be the person God has called me to be, I must stay attached to him. God knows what we need so much better than we do.
Jesus is my rest
I love this the sabbath was made for man not man for the sabbath. I love my sabbath (I refer to it often as my day of delight)
Love this reminder that the Sabbath is a gift God gave, it is not just a boundary and a hinderance, rather it is a time set aside to allow ourselves the freedom to be in Christ, to not worry about schedules and money and other earthly things, but to focus in on Jesus and take true rest in Him.
Hello Shes. Once more coming from the east coast. The SRT study ever along for the ride! Mobile technology is terrific! Love travels! The nature of this trip is offering me huge spates of time to rest, remember, reflect. Telling my husband how good it feels to step away from the rush & crush of busyness back home. And using this time away to critically review & revise the whole cloth of the busyness back home. A break from the ritual & routine is an opportunity to question the underlying motives & drivers. For me, I think, it’s to prove my “worthiness”; to convince others of my “importance”; and perhaps to hide self-doubt & let me say, fear God may find me lacking. So, bring it on, Holy Spirit. Teach me tenderly to submit & accept the gift of rest in Christ. Show me the way of Sabbath-keeping. If you missed it, find Mandi’s comments on what her household does to practice the Sabbath. Do-able; practical; loving suggestions. Especially the way she invites the whole family. Note as well how SRT gives us Saturday as Grace Day…a time to reflect on past week’s lesson & remember to sit calmly & delight in His ever quiet presence. This I pray: Help me recognize it’s not about my doing, but about my devotion & dedication to Him alone. Help me receive the joy to be had in your finished work.
Amen & Amen!
I love that the sabbath was made for us not us for the sabbath. As a nurse I am required to work weekends and holidays. I am often not around for the observed “rest days” most people have the liberty to enjoy. However, this verse comforts me bc I know rest was made for me. My rest days does not have to be observed the same time as others. Rest is my right and His promise to me.
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We rest in Jesus finished work and the redemption he provided by his righteousness and not our own.
Moses was given the Law on Mt Sinai . The 10 commandments were a part of that law. It was a sign between Israel and God. While all the other people were working 7 days , Gods people were only working 6 and having rest . They were blessed above all the nations! This keeping of the Sabbath was a foreshadowing of what was to come . Jesus was the end of the law for all who trust in him . He redeemed us from the curse of the law . We cannot keep it . The sabbath now is not a day … it’s a relationship with God where we cease in our own efforts to be righteous before God . We REST IN JESUS. We rest I.
I am convinced that if we truly rest in Him on Sunday, we wo t be caught up in the manic Monday.
27 And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. – Mark 2:27
Great emphasis on how the Sabbath is meant to serve us as space to rest rather than being another commitment or activity that we serve. Raised in a household that values the Sabbath yet it came with a lot of hosting and social commitments (which does not feel like rest at all). Looking back, and it felt more like the show of participating in Sabbath was valued than the actual experience of rest and reflection.
Remember where the Israelites were when God have them the Sabbath. They had just come out of 400 years of slavery, where they worked 7 days a week, long hours. The Sabbath was a gift to them; God was saying they would no longer have to work like they had been. We need to see this as a gift, a time to refresh our bodies and minds, to bring peace to our souls. We all love gifts, especially ones that come from God… so take advantage of the gift God has given us
27 And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. – Mark 2:27
My difficulty with rest is often because of my own pride. We image God my resting. Rest is evidencing that God is the one who is doing the sanctifying work in my life, not a result of my own efforts.
Rest is such a gift and a need. I am guilty of feeling lazy if I rest. And that makes me prideful to think I am that important. I am praying for anyone who is like me , that we humble our hearts and minds to rest in His presence knowing that He is greater than everything. Even now I am sitting but running through everything that needs to be done. Gracious. I will need God’s help with this! Have a wonderful Thursday She’s!
Thanks you Kathy for sharing Jen Wilkins book- going to try to snag this one! Also thank you Allison for sharing about Annie F Downs. I love her podcast and have always admired her ability to practice sabbath (always wanting to practice but never knowing where to start). Annie also says a good way to start is by doing a half day then working your way up to a full sundown to sundown. I mean we meal prep to lose weight, we keep calendars to be successful at work and school- why not plan/prep for a day of rest! It makes so much sense! Praying for all you sisters who are hoping to find rest!
Ironically, just recently on Sundays, I’m allowing myself to sleep in as much as possible. Sometimes I don’t even set an alarm, and if I do, I make sure it’s 8 hours or more. I need this time because I need my “mind” to rest. And when I get up the first thing I do is come here. I’m so thankful for all of you and for this beautiful ministry of She Reads Truth. Praying for all of you this morning. Happy Thursday ☀️
I’m remembering when Sabbath was structured into our society. Nearly all businesses were closed, including grocery stores. No sports or school activities were scheduled on Sunday (or Wednesday). This started to change in the 80’s I believe.
I was also struck by God being refreshed on the Sabbath. For some reason, I’ve always thought of creation just being fun for God, not work.
I’m considering making Sunday be a no electronics day. This would be surprisingly hard for me! But I don’t think Sabbath was meant to be particularly easy. Restful, yes, but not convenient.
Something I need to reminder myself of each Sabbath (and daily!) is that I can cease my striving and fully rest knowing that Christ has already completed all work on earth. IT IS FINISHED. That statement brings me so much peace. As someone who struggles with putting my worth in my productivity and measures the value of my day in how much I get done, it is so reassuring to remember that Christ has declared, “It is finished.” I can stop my striving and I don’t need to check off everything on my to do list. I will never be able to fully complete my work. Christ already has completed the most important work for my heart. My prayer is to remember this each Sabbath and intentionally put aside my to do lists and REST in the finished work of Jesus!
I am really enjoying this study. Everyone’s comments have been challenging and encouraging. My journey to observe a sabbath rest has come gradually over the years. There are definitely Sundays that I am not able to really follow a Sabbath at all- I am thankful there is freedom for that. But I am so thankful for the Sundays that I can truly rest in God and from my labor. One practical thing that has helped my family is to have what we call a Sabbath clean on Saturday afternoon . I set the timer (often for 10 minutes or less) and as many of us who are available (there are 6 of us) just focus on picking up our house and light cleaning so that we don’t need to on Sunday. This has been really helpful for me! Just recently I’ve been trying not to touch my calendar on Sunday- this keeps me from obsessing about my “To Do” list. I work on it on Saturday and then again on Monday morning. I am also an avid exerciser but on Sunday limit myself to walks, riding my bike, and stretching. I’m trying to do a better job choosing what books I read and media I consume on Sundays.
My Bible commentary said,”the sabbath has two purposes: it was a time to rest and a time to remember what God has done. We need rest. Without time out from the bustle, life loses its meaning. In our day, as in Moses’ day, taking time out is not easy. But God reminds us that without Sabbath we will forget the purpose of all of our activity and lose the balance crucial to a faithful life. Make sure your Sabbath provides the time of both refreshment and remembrance.
@Rita -Prayers for Tammy that Jesus would place His hand of healing on her.
Lifting all on this day. ❤️
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I love reading everyone’s comments. What a wonderful community ladies! ❤️❤️
Rest used to be a hard one for me. I would get to thinking I was lazy… or that there is always something to accomplish. Now though I have learned, resting is an opportunity to hear from the Lord. To rest in Him and just listen- praying for our SRT family! Have a great day.
God was very serious about keeping the Sabbath. So serious that He said anyone who works that day must be put to death – that’s serious! (Exodus 31:15) But…we are no longer under the law, but grace. Even so, God wants us to rest – to follow the pattern He laid out for us. Not so we can be keepers of the law, but so that we can be refreshed in our souls – to stop, pause and remember Him.
@Rita W – praying for Tammy, may God put His healing hand upon her. Praying God’s peace, comfort and that she will feel and know His presence.
Happy Thursday Shes!
Rest is such a wonderful gift the Lord has given us. I often take advantage of this I won’t lie. Praying for rest we desperately need. It’s so cool to see all the things God did for us long before we’d even need it. Have a great day ladies. Praying for you all.
Amen
Amen!❤️❤️❤️
I read in a commentary that because He is our rest, when we remember His finished work we remember the Sabbath, we remember the rest. The rest we enter into as Christians is something to experience every day, not just one day a week – the rest of knowing we don’t have to work to save ourselves, but our salvation is accomplished in Jesus (Hebrews 4:9-20. This is from the Enduring Word commentary online. This is just part of what was written.
The end of Exodus 31:17 caught my attention. “On the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.” How often do we start our week weary, tired, and feeling refreshed? Yet if we obey and trust God we can feel refreshed weekly. I need to try to sabbath consistently and well.
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Good Morning Sisters of SRT! I ask for prayers forTammy, who is fighting a rare form of cancer. Please join me and many others as we pray for complete healing according to God’s will.
We are to rest from our work. Annie F Downs says “If you work with your mind; Sabbath with your hands – if you work with your hand; Sabbath with your mind.” My work is to manage an office so I love to sew and cook (for fun), and walk outside while I Sabbath. I try to listen to good Godly podcasts (SRT etc) while spending time on those activities as they refresh my soul. To be honest, my normal tendency is to sit and be lazy while trying to Sabbath but I know for me that is not what God intended. Thank you all for your daily comments, I read them but am not good at writing my own. Have a blessed and beautiful day as you learn from the Lord about rhythms of rest.
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I love that the Sabbath is designed to bring us healing and restoration – boy do I need it! I want to try observing the Sabbath this Sunday (which technically begins Saturday at sundown). Hopefully I can get all my work done so the only thing I have to do on Sunday is worship God and rest in His presence. Also very convicting that rest is a sign of obedience and trust. Lord may I be obedient to your calling us to rest and trust that You have my very best interest at heart!
I struggle with resting! I have trouble doing anything if I don’t move all the time. It’s hard a frustrating. Sickness has made it easier at time. So Jesus quiet my mind and my body so I can rest in you
Rest can always be found and should be enjoyed in You Lord Jesus. Help me Holy Spirit to remember that always. In Jesus name, Amen
It is indeed very important that we observe the Sabbath as God intended.
(More than Jews have kept Shabbat, Shabbat has kept the Jews.” Ahad Ha’am (Asher Ginsberg, poet, philosopher, 1856-1927)
I am thankful for the sabbath. I am grateful that my God makes it important for us to take care of ourselves. I enjoy being refreshed by taking a day to rest and focus on the Lord. He is so good to us!
The Sabbath is a gift given to us by our Shepherd, the “Lord of the Sabbath” Himself! I want to “celebrate” this GOOD boundary He has given to us, a time to “heal” and “restore” my soul, just like He healed and restored the man’s withered hand.
Yes, KELLY (NEO), rest is such a gift from God!
Reading through each day’s comments (especially from the moms) and praying each of you can find moments of rest each day, and a double portion on your Sabbath.
FOSTER MAMA – I see you! ❤️ I do study early most days, and start by reading through the previous day’s comments and prayer requests online. I will sometimes check the comments on the app as they don’t always sync to the website.
DOROTHY – how is Kaylee? I think I have the name right.
VICTORIA E – missing you and praying for you.
JENNIFER LOVES JESUS – missing you, praying all is well with you
CHURCHMOUSE – missing you and praying for you
I am struck my the scripture in Exodus, “ABOVE ALL you shall keep my Sabbaths”. That’s some serious emphasize on the importance of keeping Sabbath and how sweet of God because he remembers that we are dust, he knows what we need to be restored and refreshed.
Jen Wilkin has an excellent book on the Ten Commandments called “The Ten Words”. In the chapter on the fourth commandment, she says, “God alone requires no limits on his activity. To rest is to acknowledge that we humans are limited by design. We are created for rest just as surely as we are created for labor. An inability or an unwillingness to cease from our labors is a confession of unbelief, an admission that we view ourselves as creator and sustainer of our own universes.”
Sabbath rest is a sign of obedience, but it’s also a sign of trust. I pause in what I have been doing and remember Who God is and what He has done for me. When I rest I show that I trust God to take care of me and all those around me.
I read in notes in my Bible under the scripture from Mark “The Sabbath rest is designed to be a blessing and not a curse. The Pharisees turned it into a burden making man a slave of regulation.” It made me think of how sometimes church is seen as a responsibility on Sunday (what we tend to observe as the sabbath), but it is truly a blessing to have that time set aside to be with the Lord and our brothers and sisters.
The Pharisees turned God’s gift into a complicated exercise that stole the joy that was to be had. God wants us to WANT to be refreshed and restored in His presence. May it be so, Lord!
Amen!
I enjoyed in the Exodus reading how it said God was “refreshed”. Wow! Will be thinking of that today as I also know in Scripture he does not grow weary.
Amen❤️❤️