Hebrews 4:1-11
Therefore, since the promise that we can enter into rest is still open, let’s be careful so that none of you will appear to miss it. ² We also had the good news preached to us, just as the Israelites did. However, the message they heard didn’t help them because they weren’t united in faith with the ones who listened to it.³ We who have faith are entering the rest. As God said,

And yet God’s works were completed at the foundation of the world. ⁴ Then somewhere he said this about the seventh day of creation: God rested on the seventh day from all his works. ⁵ But again, in the passage above, God said, They will never enter my rest! ⁶ Therefore, it’s left open for some to enter it, and the ones who had the good news preached to them before didn’t enter because of disobedience. ⁷ Just as it says in the passage above, God designates a certain day as “today,” when he says through David much later,

⁸ If Joshua gave the Israelites rest, God wouldn’t have spoken about another day later on. ⁹ So you see that a sabbath rest is left open for God’s people. ¹⁰ The one who entered God’s rest also rested from his works, just as God rested from his own.  ¹¹ Therefore, let’s make every effort to enter that rest so that no one will fall by following the same example of disobedience.

Listening to God: You were created to need down time.  Sabbath is my gift to you.  Here’s a thought: give yourself one day a week when you do only things that feed you and give you joy, and do them with an awareness of my presence.  Think it can’t done?  Think you are too busy and important to rest?  Just give it a try.  Taking a Sabbath day every week will fill you with new energy so that the other six days are more productive and joyful.

Journal or lift up your prayers and reflections to God.  

*Our season of prayer guide comes from Joan Gray’s book, Sailboat Church: Helping Your Church Rethink Its Mission and Practice.