Queen of the Castle ~ Week 10

Week 10 ~ Taking a Sabbath
You can find the previous weeks HERE.

When consumed by your calendar and to-do list, it is easy to miss hearing God's voice.  We get too busy for God and others and can only focus on ourselves and what is next on our list of to-do's.

Jesus showed us in Luke 4 & 5 the importance of stepping out of the busyness of life and spending quiet time apart with God.  Jesus also encouraged the disciples to rest in Mark 6:31-32.

God knows we can't maintain a state of busyness for long and encourages us to come away and rest.  He will restore and renew our strength to complete the tasks before us.

Sabbath means to cease or desist.  The primary meaning is that of ceasing from all work.  That is very difficult to do for a homemaker even for one day a week.  But we still need time to rest and relax.

Some good examples from LBW of how to take time to rest are:

-Women's retreats

-Lean on a relative or your husband to watch the kids occasionally

-Nap when your kids nap

-Set a quitting time for yourself every evening and go "off duty"

-Lay back down after the kids are off to school and have quiet time with God

In Mark 2:27, Jesus says, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath."  This time of rest and regrouping is a gift from God.

Take advantage of the opportunities this week to rest physically, spiritually and emotionally.  No guilt allowed.  Taking this time will help you prevent burn-out which hurts your whole family.

"So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God.  For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His.  Therefore, let us be diligent to enter that rest."  Hebrews 4: 9-11

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