Promises
Today is the Sabbath. As much as I want to go to work, I'm not going to test God's patience with me.
Today's Bible Reading is Ezekiel 20, the whole chapter. This chapter speaks of what happens when you don't honor the Sabbath. Jesus did not come to destroy the law or the prophets, He came to fulfill the law. That doesn't mean we have no law. It means that the promise of the law was fulfilled so that if we sin, we can be forgiven without penalty of death.
If you are a follower of Christ, then you should seek to follow and obey God as He did, even upon penalty of death - because death to us on this earth is life into eternity.
As Paul said, "Yes, all things are allowable, but not all things are prudent." You can eat the ham or the bacon, but it still might be bad for your heart.
I choose to do that which is good in God's eyes.
And, if I follow the law, God has promised blessings in Deuteronomy 28.
Thank You, Lord, that You sent Your son to save me and to pay for my transgressions against You, so that I will receive mercy and not death.
Because You have done this, I find my hope in Jesus, that even if I mess up and turn from the way You have set before me, I can return and be given a place at the table as before.
I also understand that I will still have to pay the consequences of having turned away and not walked in Your statutes while I am here on this earth, and if I endure until the end, I will be given eternal life where there are no tears forevermore.
I understand that part of the Good News of Salvation requires repentance, a turning from my sin and a willingness to obey Your command. And, that if I truly love my neighbor as I love myself, all of the laws will fall into place - because I would not want any to perish by my example.
I also understand that Your love and forgiveness are binding and eternal through Jesus, and that I don't have to do anything to be saved. I just need to act saved once I am - and part of that is to seek to follow Your laws and statutes.
So, Lord, today I honor the Sabbath. I will not worry about the consequences, because You have promised blessings. I am claiming those promises.
Be with my children and give them the rest that I have found through Your son, Jesus.
Be with my lists, also.
In Jesus's Holy Name, I pray, Amen!