1 Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain. 2 In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat— for he grants sleep to those he loves. (Psalm 127:1-2, New International Version)
Theme: Rejoicing and Thanksgiving
Context:
Thanks to all who shared their favorite creation songs yesterday! They make a wonderful playlist for rejoicing and thanksgiving. As a quick reminder, next week will be our final week and we will focus on Jesus’ activities in the days leading up to his crucifixion.
Today, we close our deliberations on individual Disciplines by considering the Sabbath. For clarification, we are not advocating a legalistic approach to a day of worship. Instead, we seek to encourage the disciplined practice of resting and relying on God..
We have observed over the course of this year’s journey that we should rejoice and give thanks in all circumstances. So, we don’t need a break to rejoice and give thanks to God. However, the act of faith implicit in consistently observing a time of rest is itself a source of rejoicing and thanksgiving. The more we realize how much grace God supplies, the more willing we should be to stop, smell the proverbial roses, rejoice in God’s goodness, and give thanks. A verse and chorus from a beautiful hymn written by Annie Johnson Flint in the early 1900s reminds us why we can rest in God.
He Giveth More Grace
He giveth more grace as our burdens grow greater,
He sendeth more strength as our labors increase;
To added afflictions He addeth His mercy,
To multiplied trials He multiplies peace.
His love has no limits, His grace has no measure,
His power no boundary known unto men;
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.
Bible Passage:
Please study the Scripture passage above and consider the question below.
Question:
How does the comfort of rest in God impact your practice of rejoicing and thanksgiving?
Please leave a comment. We would love to hear from you.