Sabbath Promises

After Sister Saturday weekend wound down, I headed back to Blue Springs. We had laughed a lot, eaten too much, treasured the blessings of family, and rejoiced in the maturity of adult children.  It had been a good visit, but how sweet it was to return home this afternoon. Maggie the Wonder Dog ran around in circles, wiggling all over with delight, bouncing up to nuzzle me, running around again, grinning like a jack-o-lantern.  Enthusiastic welcomes are always sweet.

The car had to be unloaded and all the things I'd taken had to be put away, but that was quickly accomplished.  There was another load of laundry that needed washing, mail to sort, a junk drawer to clean out, and hours' worth of house cleaning to do.  There's a book I need to finish formatting, a draft to print, and a book cover to plan.  I opted to do none of that.  Instead, I played with my dog, read a Christian biography, and had a sweet visit with the Lord.  It was a really nice day. 

A few minutes ago, I thought, "I have not done a productive thing since I got home today." Quick as a flash, that still small voice in my heart whispered, "Oh, yes you did.  You had a Sabbath." It made me think about Isaiah 58.  It says (the Leanna paraphrase) that, if we choose not to do the things we want to do, and choose to honor the Sabbath, God will give us delight in Him and "make us ride on the heights of the earth."  I can't even imagine what riding on the heights of the earth entails, but I'm thinking I would like it.  For sure, it would be a blessing. "And I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob."  That sounds pretty good, too, doesn't it.

Just to be sure, I checked.  This is the blessing Issac gave Jacob on his deathbed.  (It looks like the heritage of Jacob to me) You are going to wish you had taken a Sabbath when you read this!

"Now may God give you of the dew of heaven, and of the fatness of the earth, and an abundance of grain and new wine;
May peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you,
Be master of your brothers, and may your mother's sons bow down to you.
Cursed be those who curse you, and blessed be those who bless you."           Isaiah 27:28-29 NASB

Is that not an amazing blessing for Jacob?  What is really amazing is that, when we are obedient about the Sabbath, God is so honored that He promises to bless us in really sweet ways.  I guess that says a lot about how many of us actually honor the Sabbath, doesn't it? I don't know about the grain and the wine and the fatness, but I'm pretty sure there is a promise in there to provide our daily needs. After this sweet day, that seems just exactly right.

Next Sabbath, why don't you join me in the gift of rest and enjoying our Lord? It's really the nicest day!