Isaiah 58:13-14

Isaiah 58:13-14 "Keep the Sabbath day holy.       Don't pursue your own interests on that day,    but enjoy the Sabbath       and speak of it with delight as the Lord's holy day.    Honor the Sabbath in everything you do on that day,       and don't follow your own desires or talk idly. Then the Lord will be your delight.       I will give you great honor    and satisfy you with the inheritance I promised to your ancestor Jacob.       I, the Lord, have spoken!"

Lord of the Sabbath, You are holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and You have spoken to me! You know that I'm stressed out, burned out and need time out! Thank You for designing a day for me to rest! Forgive me for neglecting it. You set the pace by working hard for six days to make the entire universe. Then, You stopped and enjoyed the fruit of Your labor. The problem is my work is unending. I keep going and going and going, until all of my energy's spent and there's nothing left for You, my family or me. If You, the infinite source of energy, needed a day to rest, how much more do I need it? Help me, by the power of Your Spirit, to intentionally make time to unwind. When I'm worn out, I make poor decisions that desecrate Your holy name, and hurt my family and me. Slow me down, Lord! Setting aside my long to-do list, I'll deliberately spend an entire day quietly reflecting on what went well and what went wrong in my week. I'll thank You for my successes, admit my failures, and plan to do better next week. Letting go of everything, I'll concentrate on honoring You in everything I say and do. With my heart at ease and my mind clear, it will be a pleasure to praise and worship You for Who You are and what You've done. Spending time with You, I'll discover remarkable peace and inexplicable joy. Free from obligations, my weary soul will enjoy a quiet day. My rich reward will be a revived heart, re-energized Spirit, and renewed strength. Rested, I'll consistently make right choices that bring glory to Your name. The noticeable change in my heart will draw others to You, the perfect designer of the day of rest. Amen.

The Lord has commanded, "Keep the Sabbath day holy!" Hard as that is in our current culture, it's not optional. To disobey is to dishonor the Lord of the Sabbath. For one month, intentionally keep every Sunday open. Take a nap. Read a book. Take a walk. Play games. Visit the sick or elderly. It's very difficult, but you'll notice a remarkable difference in your demeanor and long for that day of rest each week.  Sunday's are like a sedative for me. I come home from church, kick off my shoes, read a book, and fall asleep nestled in a warm blanket in the sun. Ah! Glorious day!