![\"\"](\"https:\/\/shop.honestreflections.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Sabbath-1-1024x939.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nDaily Reading:<\/strong> Genesis 35:1-36:43 ESV<\/a>, Matthew 12:1-21 ESV<\/a>, Psalm 15:1-5 ESV,<\/a> Proverbs 3:21-26 ESV<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Daily Verse: <\/strong>“At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath<\/em>. His disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat.” (Matthew 12:1 ESV<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n SABBATON (4521): <\/strong>“Day of weekly repose from secular avocations. The root means “to cease, desist.” The double “b” has an intensive force, implying a complete cessation or a making to cease, probably the former. The idea is not that of relaxation or refreshment, but cessation from activity.”[i]<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Stop the routine.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Sabbath means “to cease, desist.” One day a week, God wants us to stop our regular routine and rest. Long ago, Blue Laws existed in the United States “prohibiting certain activities, such as shopping on Sunday.”[ii]<\/a> Even though the Supreme Court ruled Blue Laws as Constitutional, state courts struck down the laws, making them unenforceable. Interesting how companies who choose to close on Sunday profit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Chick-Fil-A continues to thrive in tough economic times, even though the company closes on Sundays. In 2020, the company reported an increase of 13% over 2019 revenue.[iii]<\/a> Meanwhile, McDonald’s revenue declined 1.3% in the same period.[iv]<\/a> Never do I see the lines at McDonald’s like I do Chick-Fil-A. In 2020, during COVID, a friend and I waited over a half-hour in the drive-thru at Chick-Fil-A to get lunch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Enjoy a day of rest.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Stop your normal activities one day a week, experience how it changes your life. Because Chick-Fil-A enforces the Sabbath, their entire working community enjoys a day off together. No one worries about what’s going on at work when everyone has the day off. They save money with reduced overhead and have a healthier work environment because of their commitment to God’s word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Taking a Sabbath made the top ten. Third in the list of commandments, “Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day<\/em>” (Exodus 20:8 ESV<\/a>). God knows we need a break from the routine. A day set aside to reconnect with our Maker, a date night with God. Like couples with healthy relationships set aside time for each other, we need to do the same with God. Developing more beneficial relationships requires intentionality. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Become intentional in your relationship with God. Set aside one day a week to cease and desist your everyday routine. Make a date with God and keep it. Begin to experience life change as you learn to rest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [i]<\/a> Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible<\/em>. (p. 222) Thomas Nelson<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/a>[ii]<\/sup>https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?q=blue+laws+definition&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS918US918&oq=blue+laws&aqs=chrome.2.69i57j0i512l9.5126j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n [iii]<\/a> https:\/\/www.restfinance.com\/restaurant-finance-across-america\/chick-fil-a-reports-record-revenue-and-profits-in-2020-despite-covid-19-pandemic\/article_26ec54da-9b30-11eb-a0b5-dfff0ec78fa7.html#:~:text=Revenue%20was%20%244.3%20billion%20in,versus%20%24897%20million%20in%202019<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [iv]<\/a> https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/mcdonalds-earnings-revenue-fourth-quarter-annual-2020-income-earning-2021-1<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n 2 minute read. Daily Reading: Genesis 35:1-36:43 ESV, Matthew 12:1-21 ESV, Psalm 15:1-5 ESV, Proverbs 3:21-26 ESV Daily Verse: “At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat.” (Matthew 12:1 ESV) SABBATON (4521): “Day of weekly repose from secular avocations.… Continue reading SABBATH<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5210","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","without-featured-image"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5210","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5210"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5210\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5214,"href":"https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5210\/revisions\/5214"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5210"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5210"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5210"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/shop.honestreflections.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/bookcover.jpg\")