11 July | EVERYONE
“If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on My holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy day of the Lord honorable, and shall honor Him, not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure, nor speaking your own words, then you shall delight yourself in the Lord; and I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth, and feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father. The mouth of the Lord has spoken.” Isaiah 58: 13,14
In 1998, I conducted a satellite evangelism campaign from Sao Paulo (Brazil) for the three Americas. Exactly six days before the start date, I was rushed to the hospital. One day before the start of the campaign, I was released but still weak and recovering.
It was Friday, the organizers' apprehension was visible. I was worried myself. I did not feel physically or emotionally fit to preach for fifty minutes night after night. I thought about quitting. From a human point of view, I did not know what to do. The campaign could not be suspended since Hispanics in the three Americas were ready to receive the message.
At dusk, alone in my hotel room, I poured out my anxiety into the arms of God. As the blessed hours of Saturday arrived, I told Him, “Lord, the Sabbath is for rest, but my heart is heavy about this situation. Give me your rest; my God, put peace in my heart.”
At that moment, I felt a kind of soft breeze that came through the window and blew on my face. I felt like crying, and I cried. But when I got up, it was as if a heavy burden had been lifted from my shoulders. I went to the bathroom and looked at myself in the mirror. My eyes reflected peace and joy. God's Sabbath had come into my life.
The next night, I was standing in the pulpit, preaching the Word of God. The Sabbath was not just a doctrine, it was a real and transformative experience.
Take Action
Is the Sabbath part of your spiritual experience? Have you tried the blessings of setting aside a day to disconnect from usual tasks and get (even) closer to God and your neighbor? Of course, you already know that you can rest in Jesus every day! Sing “The Holy Day of the Lord” (if possible, with your family).