“…and you made known to them your holy Sabbath and commanded them commandments and statutes and a law by Moses your servant…”
Nehemiah 9:14
Last time we saw how Yahweh bowed low to loom up on a mountain and give His people pleasing rules, faithful statutes, and beautiful commands. Today we see some of those commands in more detail.
“You made known (yada – know intimately, for certain, surely teach) Your holy (qodesh – apartness, sacredness, consecrated, dedicated) Sabbath (shabbath; from shabath – to cease, desist, rest, celebrate, put away)…”
You surely taught, intimately made known, to your people Your sacred Sabbath – a dedicated time to cease work, to rest and trust God. A time set apart to put away any striving, to celebrate.
I have come to appreciate God’s timing more and more in my life. I am studying a verse about the command, the privilege, of ceasing work in a week when I personally have much of it. And yet, in some moments I feel carried. And in other moments, when I feel it is all up to me, snap at my loves, and wring my hands, I suddenly have an empty house, a computer that freezes up, and a spot on the carpet to nap in the sun. He truly provides.
So how about us all – on a larger level, the corporate level of our churches and ministries and His Global Bride – how well are we resting? Do we cease striving? Intentionally celebrate even as the news cycles tempt us to despair? Sink deep in His intimate knowledge of us and small and large-scale work in this world He died for?
You know what it seems to take? Experience with a faithful God Who shows up when we’re down to nothing. A delight in our weakness being a canvas for Him to show off. And daily, corporate surrender to Him Who is able and knows best.
The good news is, in our verse and our lives today, He has promised to surely teach us. And what a witness to a world convinced it’s all about hustle. If we’re not working and being faithful, God would have something to say to us. But joyful work without striving? What a witness.
“…You laid upon them the charge of Your precepts (mitsvah), statutes (choq), and laws (torah)…”
Not only did He intimately show them about Sabbath, He laid a charge upon them of precepts, statutes, and laws. As we step into our daily tasks, there is a set of guidelines to take up which show us how life works best. How He designed us and this world. To ignore those is to invite His correction – and not always gentle correction.
And let’s remember together these precepts are not just moral, individualistic rules. Rather, these were statutes that showed how justice and love come together communally. We as a Body cannot assume to ignore the corporate law and expect no correction.
Aren’t you so glad today is Ash Wednesday? Liturgical background or not, we can all acknowledge we are from dust and to dust we shall return. That as we begin the season of awaiting the resurrection, we can celebrate our humanness and His perfect goodness.
And, wonder of wonders, He uses us. After all it was “…by the hand (yad) of Moses Your servant (ebed)…” He chose to spell out the precepts, statutes, and laws. Just as human as the next person, willing to listen and obey Yahweh, awaiting for the Ultimate Servant to be the Law in perfection.
He truly has made all this known. Let’s listen and obey.