Monday, October 6, 2014

10 Ways To Slow Down and Recharge







"Remember the Sabbath Day by keeping it Holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work but the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns."

Exodus 20:8-10

When was the last time you read the ten commandments? I can tell you that just this past weekend I read them over again for the first time in probably a year. But why should you? You know them right? "Thou shall not have any god before me, thou shall not murder, steal, covet, commit adultery, honor your father and mother, shall not give false testimony." 

But do you remember that keeping the Sabbath Day Holy is also a commandment? 


So, Let me ask you: 
What did you do yesterday? 

Can we honestly say we rest, recharge and keep each sunday for the Lord? 

Or do we try to finish up things we didn't get done for the week before or try to get ahead for the following week? 

Are you jam packed with kids sports games, homework for the week, planning out homeschool lessons, or cleaning the house because Sunday is your only day, all of this on top of Church and Church activities? 

Of all the ten commandments in Exodus 20, Keep the Sabbath Day Holy is the only one that is explained in more than one verse, and it is so important that it is explained in 4 verses. 

The reason is written out for you right in the commandments because God knew we need to be reminded. God, the amazing creator of the universe, the God who does not sleep created the whole universe in 6 days, but on the 7th day HE RESTED. The amazing God who doesn't grow weary, needed to rest on the 7th day! This is SO crucial to understand. 

We are mere humans and cannot compare to the Creator of this earth, and if He needed to rest on the 7th day, who says that we don't?? 


"For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy."
Exodus 20:11


Whats amazing too is that GOD KNOWS WE NEED REST, and it is SO important that it is a commandment. If you break that commandment its just as bad as breaking all of the others, and when you love God you WANT to keep his commands. Right? 

So why is it that we think that Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy doesn't apply? 



Here are 10 ways to slow down, recharge 
& keep the Sabbath Holy. 

1. Say No to activities other than Church functions on Sundays. (Even too many church functions can suck out your energy so choose wisely)
2. Prep Meals the night before. 
3. Turn off the TV and Electronics. (What?!? What about football? You decide.)
4. Do only the work that is necessary. (Feeding animals if you have them, Dishes, light meal prep etc.) 
5. Go over your Church notes. 
6. Open and read your Bible.
7. Pray! Every hour on the hour. 
8. Spend time with your family- talking, playing outside, going for a walk. 
9. Plan the week ahead.
10. Take a nap. 


Keep Sunday as a day you look forward to because you know its your day to rest! I think in todays day in age we are so used to burning the candle at both ends that we don't know how to slow down and just enjoy life. God wants you to enjoy life!, and it is a necessity for us to rest so that we can be the best that we can be by not being burnt out. 



Your Turn: How do you keep the Sabbath Holy?? 
Comment in the comment section below! 






photo credit: anieto2k via photopin cc

17 comments:

  1. As a person in ministry, I even find that I sometimes have to say no to church commitments on Sunday...potlucks, meetings, etc etc. If I don't I find my Sunday is filled with activities instead of rest!
    Thank you for making us think!!
    Blessings, Jody

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    1. I definitely have to be intentional about resting and slowing down on my Sundays! I feel like if I end up exhausted by Sunday's end that I haven't rested enough! Its great you are able to see when you need to say No!

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  2. I love Sunday, yes I do a lot but only what I feel like doing!

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    1. I feel like different people need different types of rest. Some its doing things they love, while others its napping, relaxing or not doing much. As long as we rest, is what matters!

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  3. Great post! I need to work on #'s 2 & 9 more!

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    1. I definitely am working on #2 myself! And #9 at the beginning of the week I take my to do list pad and just right out everything that needs to get done, then write what I will do the next day. It helps me focus for the week ahead!

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  4. Some very interesting points you mentioned :)

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  5. Girl, I wish for your post to be put in to action in every home in this nation! That would be a prayer answered many times over. This is really, such a great reminder though. His word never changes and He never changes. Some hmmpf this commandment but it is as true today as it was then. We need this rest - we are designed to rest. And by the way, I read the 10 commandments JUST TONIGHT from my son's bible to him. So funny that I would land on your post here! #blogitforward

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    1. As a society we are so Go Go Go, its just great to kind of take a step back and breath a bit and just take in life at that moment. If families did this around the country! Oh what a difference it may make in our family dynamics! The realization that life isn't about work all of the time! :)
      I am so glad God lead you to this post, I fully believe that he brings everything even the small things together!

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  6. Absolutely love this. This applies to everyone, of any age. We are all so rushed, trying to get ahead, trying to get further. Slow. Down. Take a few breaths and look around at what you have before it's all gone!

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  7. I love a relaxing Sunday, but sometimes that means I'm just that much crazier on Saturday! I definitely have issues with "relaxing", I always feel like I should be doing something!

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  8. I have found rest to be an integral part of being able to love well! When I am burnt out, I simply have no capacity to love others. Sometimes in ministry we get too ministry-focused and forget to rest in God. Having said that, one of my mottos for this week is, "If the first commandment does not come first, the second commandment will only burn you out."

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  9. I agree...sometimes it is so hard though! I will say though, this is why my cleaning day is on Monday...because we don't do a thing on Sunday ;)

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    1. It definitely can be!

      I span all of the cleaning out from monday to friday to make sure I don't do any cleaning or labor on sunday, thouhj with a very messy 2 year old I still have quite a bit to do no matter what!

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  10. Not too long ago God told me I needed to improve my sabbath keeping....He used Is 58: 13...that I was not to do my own ways, do my own pleasures or speak my own words.

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  11. Thanks for this post. We all need a reminder to slow down once in awhile!

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