| Genesis 35:1-36:43; Matthew 12:1-21; Psalm 15:1-5; Proverbs 3:21-26
“At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on the Sabbath. And His disciples were hungry, and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, ‘Look, Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!’ But He said to them, ‘Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God and ate the showbread which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless? Yet I say to you that in this place there is One greater than the temple. But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.
Now when He had departed from there, He went into their synagogue. And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand. And they asked Him, saying, ‘Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?’ – that they might accuse Him. Then He said to them, ‘What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.’ Then He said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ And he stretched it out, and it was restored as whole as the other. Then the Pharisees went out and plotted against Him, how they might destroy Him.” (Matthew 12:1-14)
We humans have such a way of complicating things. God gave some simple rules concerning the Sabbath and the people added a few more they thought would be impressive to God and would assure man of an IOU from the Lord. Blah! God’s practicality concerning the needs of people always trumps rules and regulations. Always remember that people are more important to God than some standardized performance. Stay flexible, God likes folks that can think on their feet and roll with whatever comes up. God enjoys people learning how to be lead by His Spirit according to His Word rather than just stuck in a routine rut. It makes living for Him a whole lot more exciting and enjoyable too.
PRAYER:
Lord, I pray You will help me to relax. I want to be pliable when it comes to following Your lead. I apologize for ever being so legalistic that I put people in bondage over things that I struggle to follow myself. I do not want to be a religious person. I thank you for grace. Help me and my brothers and sisters in Christ not to take advantage of the blessing of grace by wallowing in sin but rather to grow positively from it. Make us witnesses of Your peace and mercy. In the name of Jesus I pray, amen. |
