TAKE A LOAD OFF
Hebrews 4:9: “There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for people of God.”
Labor Day holiday from work falls on the first Monday in September so that people can enjoy a three-day weekend every year. People look forward to this “resting from work” celebration.
Certainly three days of rest restores people to return to work.
Even God “took a load off” for rest (Genesis 2:2). Then He commanded His kids to rest one day each week, calling it a Sabbath day of rest.
Let’s think of different labor. Disabilities create demanding lifestyles for millions. God has compassion on His kids’ struggles. He cheers when we overcome each problem that improves our quality of life.
But true victory is supernatural and comes when we rest in Christ.
Luke 6:6-10 shows Jesus teaching in the Synagogue one Sabbath when he noticed a man with a shriveled hand. “Get up and stand in front of everyone,” Jesus said. The man stood before the congregation hiding his hands behind his back.
Jesus understood the man’s shame. He also needed to confront Pharisees and teachers of the law who wanted an excuse to accuse Him of wrongdoing. He challenged them, “I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or destroy it?”
Jesus stared them down, then said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” When he did so, his hand was completely restored and seen by all.
Luke 13:10-17 shows another Sabbath when Jesus confronted religious leaders. Jesus called out a crippled woman in the Synagogue. Putting His hands on her, He proclaimed, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” She straightened up, praising God.
Naturally, the religious Jewish leaders complained about Jesus’ breaking the Sabbath. See the lesson linked below for more about Jewish leader’s plotting against Jesus.
John 5:1-15 shows a pond where disabled people hung out. They thought that the first one in the water after it stirred would be healed. Jesus saw a paralyzed man there one Sabbath and asked him, “Do you want to get well?”
“I have no one to help me into the pond when the water is stirred,” the man complained.
Jesus said, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” Immediately, the man was healed!
Take Home Nugget
All three healing miracles happened on God’s ordained Sabbath day-of-rest. Each person who Jesus healed labored hard living with their disabilities before they were supernaturally delivered.
We too can take a load off and rest in Christ.
The day Believers stop struggling and rest in the finished work of Christ is when we receive supernatural deliverance!
Thank You Jesus, for Your finished work at the cross so that we can rest in You before receiving our deliverance! AMEN.
J.D. Griffith
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My background is a life time of worship, but seriously following Jesus came with age. Spiritual maturity is a leap of faith. Sometimes we don’t know what we’re missing until living on the edge of God’s leading. My life of self sufficiency ended abruptly when losing my job as an analytical chemist after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Now living on the edge of God’s leading has become a way of life that I wouldn’t trade for anything else.
Surrendering one’s will to the Lord can be scary. Why did I wait so long to do it? Diving into an intimate relation with the sovereign God of creation is the most secure position in the universe. Will you share your experience with me? Will you let me give you my testimony? May I introduce you to the Jesus I know?