Tag: #giftfromGod

The Sabbath: A Gift from God

by Angela K. Crow-Mitchell

“The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27, ESV, Emphasis added).

Have you taken time to ponder this? The Sabbath is a day of rest that God created as a gift for spiritual refreshment. It is a time to spend with God. God gave us a model for rest after He created EVERYTHING (Gen. 2:2-3). It symbolizes the Heavenly rest to come (Heb. 4:1-11). The day was created to glorify Himself.

There have been many debates over which day of the week is to be considered the “Sabbath” day for rest. Not only that, but Jesus was met with opposition over healing and harvesting food on the Sabbath (Mark 2:23-28; 3:1-6; Luke 13:10-17). Regulations that were not imposed by God but by religious leaders, who, according to The Holman Bible Dictionary, created their own laws and expanded prohibitions, such as banning the untying of knots, to the point that they lost their original spirit but satisfied legal requirements (Brand, 1396).

Jesus showed us that love for others was more important than the laws. He observed the day as a day of worship (Luke 4:16), but His failure to comply with the minute restrictions brought conflict. Jesus didn’t come to please man, but God.

The first Christians, as recorded in Acts 13:14, met on the first day of the week, which was also the Sabbath, to proclaim Christ on the day of His resurrection (Matt. 28:1; Acts 20:7). They viewed the Sabbath and other matters of the law as a shadow of which Christ is the substance (Col. 2:16-23). It meant more to Jesus to help someone in need than to hold by traditional restrictions, not created by God.

Following the establishment of Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire, Sunday was officially declared a day of rest. (Brand, 1027).

For many, Sunday is just another day, or just part of the weekend before they must return to work. For others, it is a holy day, set aside for God, and a day they attend church. Others recognize Saturday as the day of rest and worship.

I don’t think the specific day matters as much as the time set aside each week to rest in the presence of an almighty God, praise Him, find spiritual refreshment, and enjoy the gift in honor of Christ. Jesus often escaped the crowds to spend time alone with God.

That can look different for each person, but in my experience, the times I spend it in nature, enjoying God’s creation, are more peaceful and rewarding, bringing a deep sense of rest for body, mind, and spirit than vegging on the couch watching TV.

The challenge is to make an intentional choice to spend time with God, whether it’s in nature, through activities like running, walking, kayaking, hiking, or fishing, or simply sitting quietly in a favorite chair or rocker on the back porch; some may find rest in their garden, digging dirt, or mowing the lawn.

A while back, you may recall, I found my deep Sabbath rest floating in a kayak on a serene lake after a busy week. Whenever and wherever you find yours, the important thing is to escape the busyness of our daily lives and intentionally focus on God, our Creator, thanking Him for the gift of rest and refreshment. The point is that we all need a deep Sabbath rest that connects us to the Creator.

“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor 10:31, Emphasis added). *This may be another message soon.

“This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Ps. 118:24, Emphasis added).

The Truth in a Nutshell

by Angela K. Crow-Mitchell

Let’s get straight to the point. God is bigger than ALL of this! Anything to the contrary comes from a place of fear and panic and is nothing but diabolical.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8) God has always provided. He will continue to provide and protect His people. This is the same God who shut the mouths of lions. God is not the author of confusion and chaos.

Let us be the calm in the storm. Let us sing praises to His name and be grateful for the little things we usually take for granted. Don’t drink the chaos Kook-aid, ya’ll. (I am pretty sure that is a long, lost proverb.) We can be smart, stay safe and not be fearful.

No matter what happens, God is with us. We can trust Him with the outcome. Share this truth with someone today who might need a word of encouragement in the middle of the storm.

When this is all over, go on that trip you’ve been thinking about for years, take the leap of faith and do that thing God has been nudging you to do, get out and enjoy God’s creation in nature, see other parts of the world…start marking those items off your bucket list. If you don’t have a bucket list, it is an excellent time to make one.

Be kind. Share with others in need. Show love. God’s got this…and us!

By faith these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them. They shut the mouths of lions, quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight. Hebrews 11:33-34

Colorful Communication

by Angela K. Crow-Mitchell

I find it fascinating that dragonflies communicate using the vibrant colors of their bodies through infra red and UV spectrum. They also have tiny antennae, so vision is their primary means of navigating and capturing prey. Remarkably, they can rotate their heads nearly 360 degrees, giving them an almost limitless field of view. What a great perspective in a colorful, unique form.

I have always liked rainbows. Their colorful message gives us a great perspective on God’s promises. I can also relate to color in a different way. I think color represents creativity and gifts from the Spirit.

I realized that all my gifts are a form of communication. The way I express my creativity to encourage others in various ways. I think God is equipping me with all forms of communication that honor Him in everything I do and is answering my prayers in profound ways.

How ironic to be given such colorful forms of communication for someone who went from never communicating on one end of the spectrum to being forced to fully communicate every thought on the other end of the spectrum.

Neither of these were a healthy form of communication. I began to pray about it and ask God to help me have healthy communications – I knew there had to be a middle ground in there somewhere. I just needed help figuring it out. I also pray that I never hurt anyone with my words but lift them up, encourage and inspire them.

I believe God has poured out His precious gifts upon me in a delightful, colorful array of communicative expression like I have never experienced before. I am so grateful and want to be a good steward of each one.

The magpie is a colorful bird, related to crows, which uses its voice to express itself in sometimes loud fashion. It encourages us to speak up and be creative with our spoken words.  I believe I have found my voice and am using it to the best of my ability to serve my Heavenly Father.

But there is another expression of communication I am working on- listening. I also pray that I listen to understand and not to respond. That I listen to discern God’s voice. That I listen and respond with courage to be obedient and follow where He leads. Sometimes listening is more important than speaking. I pray God will show me when to speak up and when to listen and give me the right words at the right time to help others in profound, beautiful ways.

When the Spirit reveals something to me it’s like the early morning sky opening to a new day with an elegance beyond words. Brilliant hues of early morning colors revealed in a moment of clarity unlike any other thought or word. An idea so wild and beautiful it could only come from Him. I am in awe of His glory and goodness towards me every single day.