Words of Life: Remember the sabbath day and treat it as holy. October 12, 2025

God has a response to the craziness in life, "Remember the Sabbath day and treat it as holy." In the Fourth Commandment, God tells us rest is not optional.With so many things going on, we ignore the rest and renewal that God commands and then we suffer. The consequnce of neglecting the spiritual garden leads to literal and figurative death in the form of burnout, health problems, and broken relationships. God's commandment to rest once a week is important and it's a first. Before the Fourth Commandment, no other god, deity, or ruler had ever ordered a day off for renewal and revereance for God.The Fourth Commandment can help us be our best selves. And ironically, it might be one of the most challenging for many us. Why is obeying the commandment for rest and renewal so difficult? One reason is our society admires and rewards overwork. We forget the Fourth Commandment applies to everyone--which includes each of us.On the Sabbath, we can take the time to connect to God. That's why church is important. Pastor Mia tells us the renewal we receive by connecting to God isn't recovery from the past week. It's rejuvenation for taking on the week ahead.