Doing Good Work
Read: Genesis 2:8-17 The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. (v. 15) So far our readings have explored rest and “ceasing” from work and activity. However, there’s an important place for work, especially when it’s done the way God intends. Not only […]
The Sabbath as a Gift
Read: Exodus 20:1-17 Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. (v. 11) There are two places in the Old Testament where the Ten Commandments are recorded: Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5. Both list Sabbath-keeping as the fourth commandment, but they differ slightly in their reasons. Exodus 20 grounds Sabbath in creation, […]
The God Who Rests
Read: Genesis 2:1-4 On the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested. (v. 2) The word Sabbath comes from the Hebrew verb shabbat, which means “to cease or desist.” On the Sabbath, we set aside twenty-four hours to “cease” not just our work, but also our need to achieve […]
The Secret of the Easy Yoke
Read: Matthew 11:28-30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (v. 30) Yesterday we heard Jesus’s invitation to come to him and find rest. But how do we live at a different speed? The key is the second part of Jesus’s words in today’s passage: “Take my yoke upon you, and learn […]
The Unforced Rhythms of Grace
Read: Matthew 11:28-30 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (v. 28) My life is so busy! I just don’t have enough time!” How often have you found yourself saying this? Life’s demands are never-ending, and we’re constantly in a hurry, rushing from one thing to […]
Breaking the Cycle of Poverty
Words of Hope tutoring centers in India are setting children up for educational success and demonstrating the love of Christ in tangible ways. A System of Support Children who live in impoverished regions of northern India do not get a proper education. Many do not attend school at all. The quality of education in India […]
Time for Refreshing
Read: Genesis 1:31-2:3 On the seventh day he rested and was refreshed. (Exod. 31:17) Hurricanes wear me out. The week preceding we’re unsure of the path yet need to spend the time and energy to prepare. Maybe we evacuate or maybe we stay during the storm, but either way, the overwhelming ferocity of these tempests […]
Praise the Lord!
Read: Psalm 34 My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad. (v. 2) I am always relieved after a hurricane spirals away. There may be debris littering the yard and repairs to deal with, but the clamor of the wind ceases, and the sun breaks through the retreating […]
Grand Rebuild
Read: Ezra 3:8-13 Many . . . old men who had seen the first house, wept. (v. 12) If a hurricane destroys buildings, rebuilding efforts begin. When the exiles returned to Jerusalem, the city was in ruins, and a jumbled pile of stones marked where the temple once stood. Their first priority was to rebuild […]