I sit up a little taller when my favorite hero enters the scene on the movie screen. I smirk knowingly when I see his confident stride. Why? Because I know the secret that the villains will soon discover: he means business. I might as well be the one in distress because I feel like he’s come on the scene with the sole purpose of saving me.
Eventually, I always come back to reality. I realize it’s a movie, my overactive imagination has run away again, and real life is actually better. That’s right. I said it: real life is better. Unlike the fictional stories we see play out on the big screen, we have a real Savior who risked everything for our safety.
Sisters, we are the ones in distress our Lord has arrived to deliver. His strength delivers us from the demands on our schedules, lies of deceit that make us determined to work harder, and the disbelief that He is enough.
And so much more. For some, identifying ourselves as those needing someone to save us on a day-to-day basis is frustrating. However, there is freedom in the fact that we don’t always have to be the strong ones. Our obsession with strength is the result of the fallen world we live in, and the Lord of the Sabbath has come to set us free.
God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, resting from all His work (Genesis 2:3). He did not do it because He needed the rest. He gave us rest as a rhythm for recognizing our need. He is and always has been Lord of the Sabbath, inviting us to draw near to Him and submit to His strength and provision.
Although we usually focus on the Lord’s humility, today’s Scripture reading encourages us to observe the characteristics we often ignore. These scriptures reveal that our Lord is determined to restore all He once called good.
Thankfully, He continues to do the same today, all with the intention of showing all with the intention of showing us His true and better way. Today, we invite the Lord of the Sabbath to set our rhythms as we worship Him through surrender. When we do, we remember God made Jesus’s enemies His footstool (Acts 2:34–35). Because of that sacrifice, we are free from cultural demands that deny the extent of His dominion. And when I sense Him on the scene, ready to help me set a new routine, I sit a little taller because my Savior sees my needs.
Jesus’s authority has made way for true rest, and His boundaries bless us in ways only He could ever envision. Honoring Him as Lord of the Sabbath always leads to surrender. I pray we choose it every time it is offered.
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40 thoughts on "Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath"
Amen
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Be of good fruit, because everyone will have to give account on the day of judgement for every empty word they have spoken.
I hit send before I was finished… thank you for your continued prayers. They mean so much to me. I will try to remember to post a pic of my family in the facebook group today. I see all the prayer requests here and I am joining you all in prayer for those needs, etc. love to all!
Good morning sweet prayer warriors. Sadly, my husband’s body has still not been recovered. They are still searching for early morning to dark daily. The waters have not receded as much as we’d hoped. This is making our grief worse and well … everyone is struggling.
Mia Faith, continuing to pray for you and your family. Eileen Dowd and Kim Buttonberry, praying for you both with sudden losses of friends. Sarah D, praying that God will send you the right man in His perfect timing.
Thank you Victoria❤️
♥️
“There is freedom in the fact that we don’t always have to be the strong ones.” That phrase jumped out at me big time. After my divorce 11 years ago, I have been a single mom ever since, am in a challenging management position at work, and am the one that my aging mom leans on for support. I have had to be the strong one for years which prevents me from being vulnerable and further strengthens the walls I have built around myself. But God is beginning to challenge my self reliant “woman of steel” mentality. Praying that I can surrender and rest in Him. Much easier said than done though!
It’s always hard for me to read verses 46-48 of Matthew where Jesus’ mother and brothers were waiting to speak with him, and he ignores them. It hurts my mom heart. I know God is the ultimate father, but it bothers this human nonetheless.
@Julia C. Thank you for words I needed to hear.
“When I feel this frustration of being “unproductive” God reminds me that the most “productive” thing I can do, is spend time with Him and rest in Him.”
‘However, there is freedom in the fact that we don’t always have to be the strong ones. Our obsession with strength is the result of the fallen world we live in, and the Lord of the Sabbath has come to set us free.’
I have been learning and relearning this truth for 15 years and there’s still plenty of work to do ♀️ But this has been one of the more brutal weeks for emphasising my brokenness and need of God, His people, strength and grace.
I never find it easy to sit with my brokenness (let alone openly!) and wait for God but the vulnerability, humility & courage but trusting God with my broken pieces is a necessary step in accepting His invitation to surrender all to Him so He can give me rest.
(Almost needless to say, God has cared beautifully for me in and through the struggles of this week, providing for my every need and surrounding me with His love and the love of His people, my church fam.)
@KIMBERLY Z: thank you for your love sister ❤️
@MICHELLE PATIRE: friends grow with us or grow apart, growing in faith is a very narrow road, and so many friends fall off and this hurts. Praying for your new job opportunity and meaningful friendships. Sometimes I struggle with this too, and I have to learn to be content with having a friend in Jesus, I am still learning to cope.
@KIM BUTTONBERRY, EILEEN DOWD: so sorry, prayers over your heart and the families during such losses. Life is short. May we learn to live life with grace and no regrets.
@CEE GEE: amen on the bold attacks from religion, I have seen it in real life, real wolves. I think that’s why the Lord cautioned us to be wise as snakes/serpents, since they escape very quickly and quietly from danger.
@SARAH D: prayers over God’s hand leading and protecting your heart.
@AIMEE ROGERS: deliverance over this wicked sickness. Our God is the mighty mighty healer.
@KAT D: amen to the weariness series, and yes to the rest/replenishing of His power.
@THERESA: continuing prayers for your recovery, and Arlo’s teeth, so sorry about Sydney, may God make a way out of this situation.
Be blessed dear sisters.
Happy Thursday ladies!! @SARAH D – praying for you and courage it takes to trust Gods timing when it comes to dating. I pray you’ll know when it’s right. I feel your anxiety on so many levels. @THERESA – praying for Sydney and her strength to keep pushing forward until she hopefully gets a heart transplant. @MIA FAITH – still praying for you and your family. @KIM BUTTONBERRY – so sorry about your friend. Praying for you to have strength during this time and Gods tender mercies towards you. @MERCY – ❤️ Praying for ALL of you ladies!
@Aimee Rogers & @Mercy – praying for your needs as well, today. ❤️
Thank you so much to everyone who shared compassion with me about my mental health, yesterday. I don’t own a laptop, so navigating social media is tricky. I end up regularly deleting apps from my phone to stay disciplined and take monthly breaks twice a year. It’s become so helpful to have that routine. But still when I am on them, I struggle. I actually spent some time yesterday removing a lot of people I don’t talk to anymore. Just so that I have more “real” connections.
I also tried out a new part-time job today, at a cafe. Being self employed and doing Instacart is awesome, but I was just sort of spiraling yesterday after being alone so much & having a few slower work weeks. So maybe this job will help. It is all in God’s hands. I was hesitant to go because my last two jobs working for others have left me traumatized emotionally. Some major trials to my faith and my heart. But this job does not seem “toxic” at all. Weirdly, this job is not a W2 job, it’s also 1099… so, still self employed. Lol.
Also my heart goes out today to Kim ButtonBerry & EILEEN DOWD ❤️ who both lost dear friends this week. What a weight lifted to know they are with Jesus, but it is not easy to lose someone dear… praying God’s loving kindness and peace to you as you grieve. May He be a friend and close comfort to you. May you be able to honor your friends lives in the way you feel is best. God bless you both and the Lord be near to their loved ones..May they see Jesus in these lives that have passed.
Sabbath Rest. What a gift we’ve been given. This first came about when the Israelites left captivity where they were forced to work 7 days a week, long hours. God came to them and told them they didn’t have to do that any more, He was giving them a full day off to just enjoy Him and His goodness. What a gift!!! and our culture is trying so hard to take it back! ugh! I’ve had periods of times when I worked 7 days/ week, when I was first divorced, because I was afraid I wouldn’t have enough income. I worked 2 jobs. Yes, literally 7 days a week. For about 3 years. I don’t know how I did it, other than I turned a blind eye to the situation and just did it. I missed so much. I didn’t trust God to provide for me, or to change my spending habits. BUT, finally I have learned to trust His provision AND He has changed my heart on spending. It’s been a beautiful thing! I no longer work 7 days a week, and I am so thankful for the peace it brings to my heart and mind and body.
I would also like to suggest taking a Sabbath Rest from social media. Maybe you are one of those who can’t live without it, but just try a few weeks of staying off your phone on Saturday or Sunday. Give it a Sabbath Rest. You’d be surprised how God will bless you
Dear Shes, could I ask for prayer? I lost a dear friend suddenly yesterday afternoon. Apparently she had a heart attack while on an errand with her husband, but they were unable to revive her.
We had only been friends for a few years now, but one of those friendships that grew quickly and deeply. We had much in common. I know that God brought us together, and I know she is with Jesus. But it’s still a blow to my heart.
Thanking you all in advance for your prayers.
My heart grieves with you, Kim, at your sudden loss. May Our God comfort and sustain you during this time.
“There is freedom in the fact that we don’t always have to be the strong ones.” Thank you, Liv Dooley for these wise words of Wisdom. When we are weak, HE is strong for us. Today my family and I are coming along my sweet SNL and my brother as they put rest her daddy. This man may not have been her bio dad, BUT he was “her daddy” and even was given his last name. Thank you sweet She’s for a just being present HERE. Love you all!
Rest. I have been getting plenty of rest the last few days. I’ve never been good at rest. I just kept pushing through. I think it was because I couldn’t look too far ahead. It was scary knowing I would outlive Tanner. So I kept busy very busy.
I’m learning to rest in Jesus.
THERESA – Continued prayers for Sydney. That is just heartbreaking. Glad Arlo is doing better. My neighbor and a friend have both had that same flu with pink eye. Kind of strange.
Praying over all requests as I read them.
AIMEE ROGERS – Praying for your appt. at Duke! I am so sorry to hear how you are suffering and we SHES know that you are not complaining; rather you are tired, bewildered, and scared. PT sounds like a great idea as mentioned yesterday! You will learn so much about your body and how to manage those symptoms!
SISTERS, my I have to run, but just want to say this: it always strikes me how the Jewish leaders boldly attacked Jesus and they just completely missed His identity, reminder after reminder! Yet, He didn’t let them distract Him from His mission!
Acts 2:36
“Therefore let all the house of Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”
Prayers for your requests! ❤
SEARCHING – Preach it, sister! ❤❤
I usually am the strong one that everyone can depend on but since I have hurt my shoulder, I have had to let others step in to help. I know now that I struggled at first because of pride. It is so freeing to rest in our Savior and live things to Him. When I don’t know what to do, that’s exactly what I tell Him. “I don’t know what to do so I am looking to you.” He comes through every time. Our God is faithful!
Praying for all of you!
Oh, GWINETH52…thank you for the praise report! I love Mixhers too. I use the menopause supplement, and that helps so much with my sleep. (However, I will say that last night’s sleep was terrible! I even donated platelets yesterday, and I usually sleep so hard after a platelet donation, but not yesterday!) I’ll have to investigate Her Nightly. I wonder if it could be used occasionally. (I know they say consistency is key, but if I don’t “need” it all the time…)
I never caught the connection before between Jesus saying “come to me… and I will give you rest” in Matthew 11 immediately followed by Jesus talking about being Lord of the Sabbath in Matthew 12 meaning He fulfills its intended purpose: to give rest.
From HRT: “What does it truly mean for Jesus to be Lord of the Sabbath? The stories of Matthew 12:1–30 answer this question. In Matthew 11:29, Jesus said, “Take up my yoke upon you and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” So for Jesus to be Lord of the Sabbath, it means He fulfills its intended purpose: to give rest. Through Jesus, God is even more present than He was in the temple; He is a living, walking Sabbath.
As Lord of the Sabbath, Christ invites us to come to Him for rest. Sabbath to come to Him for rest. Because He has done this, we are free to accept the sustenance and the healing He provides.”
The devotion today (thank you, LIV DOOLEY) reminded me of the song “Flawless” (and these lines, in particular) by Mercy Me…
Then like a hero who takes the stage when
We’re on the edge of our seats, saying it’s too late
Well, let me introduce you to amazing grace
The rest of the song is good too, but I love. Love. LOVE that part!
There is so much in Matthew’s reading that is so familiar, yet I need clarification. How many times have I read over this passage and didn’t really grasp what Matthew was saying? I will be spending some extra time later with my study Bible (verses reading via technology). The Bible is so rich. Let us keep a firm grasp on what it says, sweet sisters.
Good morning ladies!
Praying for you all. This week is spring break, but I have been working since the Pre-K is still open. It has been a chill week though!
Would love continued prayers for me to trust God’s timing about the guy I think may like me. Last week I went to a movie night and got to talk with him a little bit…but unexpectedly a guy I saw/recognized from a dating app last year was there too haha. I think he liked my page when I was on the app, but I didn’t like him back…so I was definitely more anxious that night haha. Praying that if that guy comes to events that I would just be myself. And praying that if the guy from my church likes me, that it would be made clear soon. Praying I would keep learning and growing in singleness, even as I desire marriage. Love you all!
In verse 10, the Pharisees asked is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath – so it seems they believed He could and are asking if He should (as they try to trap Him). Then later in verse 38, they ask for a sign from Him. Umm, go back to that healing, folks, and also listen with your hearts as to what’s being taught. We have the written history in our hands, full of God’s lessons, wisdom, commands and guidance – yet how many times do we read, know or hear the truth and reject it, as we search for some obscure sentence fragment to use as justification to eat of the forbidden fruit. Simple, as CEE GEE ❤️ reminded yesterday … let’s not use rebellion in an attempt to complicate.
GWINETH52 – praising Him for your sleep!
Praying for:
MIA FAITH – your family and the searchers
DANIELLE B – your parents and grandmother
AIMEE ROGERS – healing, and in the meantime for your appointment at Duke, for answers or further referral if needed to move up to more knowledgeable experts.
TRACI GENDRON – speedy recovery
TARA B – healing for your family in the separation, your brother’s healing from addiction and in his separation
MICHELLE PATIRE – lifted spirits ❤️
LAURA DIANNE – for Shelly in her unimaginable grief, thank you for your story
THERESA – for Sydney, healing and successful transplant if needed, and her family. Praying for a miracle for her. We saw a miracle earlier this year with a friend’s daughter who needed a transplant- doing well in working through a long recovery. Thankful Arlo is doing so well.
EILEEN DOWD – for you as you miss your friend, and for her husband Samuel
MERCY ❤️
RACHEL ❤️ straining against the yoke – thank you
Help me to lean into YOU Lord for my rest. Thank you for holding me there.
Praying for your requests SRTs ❤️
Good Morning, Ladies! As a chronic “doer” I need to absorb these words about the Sabbath and God’s design for a rhythm in our lives that includes regular rest.
TRACI GENDRON – praying you and your husband are feeling better.
MIA FAITH- still lifting you and your children up in prayer.
Thank you for the many prayers for my family and friends! I’m still battling this flu and pink eye. I’m better but still under the weather.
Sydney remains on life support with little in the way of answers for what caused her heart attack. It is looking likely that she will need a heart transplant because of the damage done.
Arlo is doing fabulously well! Thank you for the many prayers and check ins on my little man! He’s been cleared to return to normal activity and diet. Our next step is to meet with an orthodontist in a few weeks to determine what sort of spacers or implants he needs to preserve his bite with the missing teeth. His jaw has healed beautifully! I’m thankful the Lord has brought us through that season.
Surrender. ❤️
One of my dearest friends went home to be with Jesus Tuesday morning. It was a complete shock as she didn’t tell anyone how ill she was, she just kept at her ministry and then the Lord called her name and she went home. I am so so happy for her and so terribly sad for those of us left here to mourn her incredible faith and walk with Our Savior. And plykeep her husband, Samuel, and all of us in your prayers. Thank you beautiful ladies.
MIA FAITH & MERCY – Continued prayers for you and yours ❤️
GWINETH52 – Praising God for this hopeful news! Praying that this new sleep schedule is the solution to your insomnia.
AIMEE ROGERS – Lifting you up in prayers. May God heal you from your vestibular migraines and may you find your hope and rest in Him.
TRACI GENDRON – Praying for a quick recovery and focus on the Word
RACHEL – Thank you for your testimony that “Jesus wears the weight on our behalf”
MARI V – ❤️
MICHELLE PATIRE – The social media comparison trap can be hard… One of my friends always says: “No one really knows what they are doing”. And although that is somehow true, luckily you know that our focus should be on Him! Praying for you, dear sister, that you may seek Him first. And also, we are here for you!
LAURA DIANNE – Joining you in prayers for Shelly, may God be near in her sadness and grief.
TARA B – Praying for your family and your brother in addiction.
DANIELLE B – Praying for your (grand)parent(s) health issues and your heavy workload. May you rest in God’s strength!
Praying for all other sisters and requests, unseen by us, but seen by the Lord.
“There is freedom in the fact that we don’t always have to be the strong ones”.
Amen, LIV DOOLEY!
This reminds me of New Year’s resolutions and the frustration of not being able to check off everything (or anything) on my to-do list… But with Jesus, every day is a new day! Even better than that “January 1st” feeling. Because we are not stuck there, instead, surrendering ourselves to Jesus every day is what gets us further in this life, because He is enough. When I feel this frustration of being “unproductive” God reminds me that the most “productive” thing I can do, is spend time with Him and rest in Him.
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Dear Father and Lord of the Sabbath,
You know that we need rest (Genesis 2:3).
Thank You for setting us free from the business of daily life and the world’s obsession with strength, thinking that if only you work hard enough, the sky is the limit…
But we know that “the sky” is only our starting point and that our real strength is found in Jesus.
So I pray: turn our inflexible rituals into a flexible heart (Matthew 12:8 – MSG). May we surrender to you, day after day, knowing that the weaker we get, the stronger we become. (2 Corinthians 12:10)
AMEN.
“Jesus’s authority has made way for true rest, and His boundaries bless us in ways only He could ever envision. Honoring Him as Lord of the Sabbath always leads to surrender. I pray we choose it every time it is offered.” As do I, LIV DOOLEY!
TRACI GENDRON – praying you’re feeling better quickly
TARA B – praying for your family and for healing of relationship
AIMEE ROGERS – ugh, so sorry about your suffering. Praying for your appt, that the doctors may find a path to relief for you
TERESA DONLEY – how’s Karen?
THERESA – how’s Arlo?
GAYLE CRAIK ❤️
Amen