Remember the Sabbath Day

Deuteronomy 5:12 > "Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the Lord your God has commanded you." (NIV)

     Even as a child I knew this to be one of the Ten Commandments. I didn't know which one I just knew it was one of them. My take away on this was to rest on the Sabbath because the Lord did. That was enough for me. That meant I could have a wonderful excuse to do nothing all day! But it meant so much more than I expected.
     This morning that fourth Commandment opened my eyes. Verse 15 says: "Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the Lord your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day." There is a reason we are to remember the Sabbath. In twenty two words it summed it up for me. It became very personal. Remember that you were slaves...the Lord your God brought you out...with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Do you see it? We are to remember what the Lord has brought us out of.
     Egypt became a place of slavery for the Isrealites. A place of bondage. They were worked so hard. Despair had even crept in. This caused me to remember my personal Egypt, my personal place of slavery and bondage. We have all had one. To remember must mean that you've gone through it; that you're no longer there. Now that is something to shout about! 
     Have we forgotten what the Lord has brought us out of? We need to remember who or what we used to be. We need to remember just what the Lord has delivered us from! And don't forget that He did it with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. The Sabbath should be filled with praises to the Lord. How could we possibly not? That really humbled me.
     Have I truly praised Him when I look back and remember just what He's brought me out of? He loved me so much that He brought me out with His mighty hand (nails driven into both) and an outstretched arm (to die on a cross).  I know that I will never be able to thank God and praise Him nearly enough for what He has done for me. Oh, there's still much work to be done in my life. But God is not finished.

In awe of Him,
~Vonda


***Heavenly Father, I just want to say thank You for loving me so much that You did not leave me in Egypt. Thank You Lord for Your mighty hands that You allowed man to drive nails into, for stretching out Your arms to die on a cross. I can never repay such a debt. But Lord I surrender my life for You to use for Your glory. Help me to always remember who You are and that there is nothing that You cannot do.  Deliverance is just one of Your many attributes. Thank You Father for still working on me......Amen