Beyond the Weekend

August 11 | No Longer Slaves

August 11, 2016

Deuteronomy 5.15

God’s command in Deuteronomy is tied to the rescue of the Israelites. They are no longer slaves and shouldn’t act like slaves. Because God rescued them from forced labor seven days a week, they shouldn’t neglect the opportunity for Sabbath.

There are times we may be forced to work without a break, but it’s rare. As Pastor Jeff Manion reminds us in the clip below, we can rest because we are no longer slaves.

Unfortunately, though we aren’t slaves, we’re prone to willingly do what the Israelites were forced to do as slaves. We chain ourselves to our work, trying to wring the most productivity or money out of our time. We disregard God’s instruction and show our lack of trust in God’s provision.

Often, we may take time away from work, but do not rest. We don’t dial back the energy level, we just transfer it to some sort of recreation—finding our value in it. We move from a hectic work week to an even more hectic weekend—from one “to do” list to another. We do it and we teach our kids to do it. We enslave ourselves to a restless recreation.

Today, consider the freedom from restlessness available through Christ. He came to provide true rest (Hebrews 4.8-11). He came to free us from slavery to sin revealed through our inability to step back and take rest, trusting God. Take a moment to listen to the song “No Longer Slaves” by Jonathan David and Melissa Helser and thank God for the freedom and rest he offers.

 

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