A Timely Word from Rick Ezell

One Minute Uplift
Your weekly one minute inspiration from Rick Ezell
02-21-08

What Does Sabbath Mean?
By Rick Ezell

"Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy" (Ex. 20:8 NIV).

Rest and relaxation are not optional. Rest was never meant to be a luxury, but a necessity for growth, maturity, and health. Rest is so important that God included it in the Ten Commandments. We do not rest because our work is done; we rest because God commanded it and created us to have a need for it. The Sabbath was made for man because God knows that our physical, emotional, and spiritual well being demands periodic breaks. The old proverb is true, "If you don't come apart, you will come apart."

The Sabbath reminds us that life has a rhythm. When you listen to an orchestra, all the parts work together in harmony. The music has balance and rhythm. Without rhythm, the music is awkward and out of sync. It just doesn't flow right.

Have you ever felt as if your life isn't flowing right, as if you've lost the rhythm? To have rhythm in your life, four ingredients are necessary: rest, worship, play, and work. Too many of us change and reverse these ingredients and end up with work, work, work, and perhaps a little play. Gordon Dahl wrote, "Most middle-class Americans tend to worship their work, to work at their play, and to play at their worship. As a result, their meanings and values are distorted. Their relationships disintegrate faster than they can keep them in repair, and their lifestyles resemble a cast of characters in search of a plot." Or to keep with our metaphor, their lifestyles resemble a song in dire need of rhythm.

The Sabbath renews our reverence of God. "And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy" (Gen. 2:3 NIV). The Sabbath is a holy day because it is God's.

This usually raises some questions like these: "Does that mean it's all right to watch television on Sunday? Is it all right to go to a ballgame on Sunday? Can we eat out, read the newspaper, play softball, or go grocery shopping on Sunday?" Those are good questions. The only thing wrong with them is that you have asked the wrong person. It's not my day. It's the Lord's Day. Ask him, "Lord, how can I honor you on this day?"

The word holy literally means set apart. Let me encourage you to set apart one day a week as a Sabbath to reverence God and rest your bodies. When you do, you not only gain a physical and emotional benefit, but a spiritual benefit as well.

The Sabbath renews our reliance on God. The Sabbath is a testimony of trust. Perhaps one reason we hurry so much, has little to do with poor time management or economic necessity, as much as it does with faith in God. Perhaps we simply do not believe that God will be true to his word. Perhaps we are not confident that God will take care of our needs.

There's the story of the two birds perched high above a busy city watching all the people busily scurrying from one activity to another. The Robin said to the Sparrow, "Why do those humans scurry to and fro?" "Perhaps," said the Sparrow, "they do not realize they have a heavenly Father like ours that cares for them so."

The Sabbath restores our souls. Do you remember snow days? As a child, when it snowed, you would get up in the morning and immediately turn on the radio to see if school was going to be closed, and when it was canceled, you rejoiced. You had a free day, completely unplanned, in which you could do anything you wanted. It was a gift.

We need to create our own snow days, or at least some snow time. We need blocks of time on a regular basis to recharge our souls, or as the Africans would say, to let our souls catch up with our bodies, in order to remain free of burnout and breakdown. That time, that snow day, is the Sabbath.

The Sabbath is a day of remembrance. The Sabbath is more than simply resting our bodies. It's greater than merely restoring our souls. It's higher than recharging our minds. The Sabbath is foremost a day of remembering God's role in our lives. Remembering, worshipping, and resting are acts of contemplation. Yet in the midst of our busyness, we are starved for contemplation. We need that time to remember what God has done for us in our lives. First and foremost, the price he paid for our salvation, and then every good and perfect gift that comes from the Father. Let's remember him.

Rest is not just a psychological convenience; it is a spiritual and biological necessity. "Remember the Sabbath" is more than simply a lifestyle suggestion. It is a commandment, an ethical precept as serious as prohibitions against killing, stealing, and lying. To forget it is dangerous-personally, morally, and socially.

Copyright 2005 Rick Ezell
About the Author
Dr. Rick Ezell is a husband, father, author, pastor, consultant, coach, conference leader, and communicator. Rick has a Doctor of Ministry in Preaching from Northern Baptist Theological Seminary, and a Master of Theology in Preaching from Southern Baptist Seminary. He has published over 450 articles and sermons in various Christian publications. While authoring six books he has served over twenty years in pastoral ministry. Rick, Cindy, and Bailey currently reside in Greer, South Carolina.
www.rickezell.net

In my inbox today...

Whenever I'm disappointed with my spot in life, I stop and think about little Jamie Scott.

Jamie was trying out for a part in the school play. His mother told me that he'd set his heart on being in it, though she feared he would not be chosen.

On the day the parts were awarded, I went with her to collect him after school.

Jamie rushed up to her, eyes shining with pride and excitement. "Guess what, Mom," he shouted, and then said those words that will remain a lesson to me.

"I've been chosen to clap and cheer."

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

I'm clapping and cheering for you today, dear sisters.

Another great memo from . . .

The Monday Memo
MONDAY FEBRUARY 4, 2008

THE BIG PICTURE
EPHESIANS 5:16

Mary David Fisher said, "The length of our life is less important than its depth."

Her saying reminds of something that musician Eubie Blake said on his 100th birthday: "If I'd known I was gonna live this long, I'd have taken better care of myself."

We never know how much time we have left, either in this life or in this ministry, but the question of longevity isn't nearly as crucial as the question of intensity. Even though quantity is an unknown variable; quality must remain consistent.

I think of this when I spend time with my kids. They're out of the house now, living in other cities, starting new lives. When we're together, it's only for a few days -- sometimes only a few hours. When I see them, I forget about what's on TV and my cell phone gets turned off. I want to make every second count.

We need to approach our lives and our work the same way. Paul used a phrase in Ephesians 5 that is translated in the NIV as "make the most of every opportunity." The King James uses the phrase, "redeeming the time." In order to do this, we need to understand two things:

1. Our lives fit into the Big Picture of God's plan.
2. The Big Picture is played out one frame at a time: one day, one hour, one moment at a time.

If you're like most of us, your plate is already full. At any moment there are a dozen things you could be doing. The important question is: "Of everything on my list, what is the best thing I can do right now?"

You can't answer this question without a good idea about where your life is going. Grasping the Big Picture empowers you to shape your plans day by day.

So your day is full. Maybe you'll spend some time today cleaning up yesterday's mess. Maybe you'll spend some time putting out today's fires. These things are inevitable. But the biggest "maybe" is if you'll spend some time today preparing for what your life will become tomorrow.

If we're not careful, we can spend all of our time focused on yesterday and today. The result is that the Big Picture stuff doesn't get done -- until it becomes another fire to put out or another mess to clean up. (Need examples? Waiting until December 10 to decide how you'll pay for Christmas; waiting until you're 62 to decide how you'll pay for retirement; waiting until September 15 to decide who will speak at your Fall Retreat ... and so on.)

Redeem the time. Make the most of every opportunity. Think about the hours you have at your disposal. What's the best thing you can do -- not just for the crises you're facing now, but for the life you want to have in the months ahead and in the years to come?

Determining the most important thing to do at any given moment isn't as easy as it seems. It takes practice, discernment and wisdom. And it takes a grasp of the Big Picture. The pay off is that your days have meaning, and your life tells a story that brings glory to God.

--Steve May

About the Monday Memo
The Monday Memo is a weekly devotional for leaders sent out each Monday by Steve May. This is a free service. For more information, to change your email address, or unsubscribe to this newsletter, please visit http://www.aboutsunday.com/omm.htm

Reasons to Read?

The Sisterhood Posse began simply: we wanted to study good Christian books. What has grown out of that is a deep commitment to each other in biblical accountability and fellowship. This has been needful and richly rewarding in my life. I am deeply grateful to these women. I have not always been a reader. I am a reader today because of Jennie. It is all her fault. Thanks, friend. (Jen sent along this virtual "tour" for those who love to visit bookstores. Enjoy.)

Over at Unashamed Workman, Colin Adams lists "20 Reasons to Read (Good Christian Books)". I list them here. I should mention that Colin is an associate pastor and writes his blog as a preaching pastor for preaching pastors. However, I believe there is much good we can learn here.

1. You will grow in your knowledge of God, yourself and the world around you.

2. You will gain a better understanding of the Bible, the book of books.

3. You will broaden your English vocabluary, helping you to express similar truths to your congregation in fresh ways.

4. You will have an improved imagination and actively engage your mind in a way that probably won’t occur when watching TV.

5. You will be able to sit at the feet of some of the great Christian teachers and minds over the centuries (even if you have few ‘living’ teachers to assist you).

6. You will be forced to cease from incessant activity and think.

7. You will receive a historical perspective on current problems and spot present day blindspots.

8. You will have some of your questions answered and confront other questions you hadn’t even thought of.

9. You will be able to practically apply Paul’s command to think upon “wholesome” things.

10. You will develop a sense of how arguments are constructed and be able to weigh both strong and weak arguments.

11. You will enjoy spiritual input during the week, not just on a Sunday (if not a pastor).

12. You will (if a pastor) be able to engage with other issues beyond this week’s text, thus broadening your perspective.

13. You will be able to mull over a subject. You will be able to put the book down to think, chew over a sentence or re-read a paragraph. You will be able to explore an issue at length, rather than brush over a topic too quickly.

14. You will be better prepared for the task of evangelism, after reading clear presentations of the gospel by great communicators.

15. You will be better prepared for the task of discipleship, having a good way to open up discussion about Christian life issues (what are you reading?).

16. You will be made aware of how Christians interpret and apply Scripture differently in various cultural contexts.

17. You will gain information for your ignorance, inspiration for your weariness, and insight for complex problems.

18. You will be better equipped to lead in your church, marriage and family.

19. You will be stimulated, as in a good conversation, to new lines of thinking.

20. You will be drawn to worship God, especially when the book centres on God not man.

From Carolyn McCulley's Blog...

This post from Radical Womanhood (which is Carolyn McCulley's blog) is entitled The Rules for Self-Discovery. I thought it was so provoking that I'm posting it in case you didn't see it.--Jennie


For Christmas, one of my friends gave me the leather-bound edition of A.W. Tozer's devotional, The Pursuit of God, The Pursuit of Man. I have really enjoyed it so far. Tozer's vocabulary is denser and more varied than the writers of today, so this devotional has provided much to ponder each day.

One thing I read at the start of the year was Tozer's list titled "Rules for Self-Discovery." Unlike the self-esteem movement of this generation, Tozer was concerned not that we esteem ourselves more highly, but that we esteem God more highly. Where God stands in our affections can be discovered through the answers to this list below. If we want to know better our own weaknesses and affections for this passing world, the answers to these questions will provide illumination.

Rules for Self-Discovery

1. What we want most

2. What we think about most

3. How we use our money

4. What we do with our leisure time

5. The company we enjoy

6. Who and what we admire

7. What we laugh at

If we're honest when we answer, this list can really help us see the hidden motivations of our hearts and the things we value most. It could also be a prayer guide, helping us to see what areas in our lives need the most prayer for godly change. I was struck in particular by the last rule; it really addresses the crass age in which we all live.

The Dark Tale

(Gleanings from the Inner Life of Ruth Bryan)

December 31st, 1837.

The last day of the year has come again! How rapidly are the wheels of time revolving and bearing me on to a boundless eternity! Another year closing, and of what do its "gone-by" periods testify? Why! of aggravated transgression and ingratitude on my part—and most astonishing mercy and longsuffering from my covenant God!

There has also been granted more laying hold of Christ; and, when sensible of sin, more running to Him for pardon and cleansing, and, as it were, hanging upon Him in my desperate case. All this, with much more, I take to be very, very great mercy.

But, oh! the dark tale of my own sin, which has also marked this year—it is too black to be told!
Ingratitude,
murmuring,
carnality,
worldliness,
unbelief,
backsliding,
and a thousand other evils—make up a list which ought to sink me into shame and self-abasement!

Almighty Spirit, condescend to melt me into real contrition, that having received much—I may love much; and having sinned much—I may have much forgiven.

I am sure the flesh is no friend of mine, and as I have not resolution to cut off its right-hand sins, and to pluck out its right-eye sins—it is most merciful of the Lord to do it for me. And though I often cry out from pain, my heart says—Go on, Lord, deal with me as You will; only support and bring me to walk closely with You.

Happy New Year!

Tomorrow begins a new year. What a great time to reflect on God's blessings and mercies over the past year and look ahead to a new year and how we can grow to glorify Him more completely.

Anybody else want to share?

Last year was another opportunity for us to see His faithfulness as He orchestrated all the details of our move from St. Louis to Fairway--selling of a house, leading us to the right area and house to buy, safety in driving over for us and our truckload of stuff, and then giving us a church home at Providence. Six months after our move, we are AT HOME here. What great grace He's shown us.

In 2008, I want to grow in loving brothers and sisters in Christ better and being more of an encourager. I also want to be a better home manager. And needless to say, I want to grow in my comprehension of the Glorious Gospel.

Have a safe and happy celebration tonight!

Jennie