Sabbath - Mark 2:27-28

Did Jesus break the law of Sabbath? The Pharisees certainly thought so when his disciples picked grain in the fields they were walking through. Jesus answers them back by using their own Scripture to show them the true heart and intent of the law. He reminds them of the time that David and his men were fleeing from danger, and in the temple they were given bread by the high priest that would have been unlawful for them to eat. But it was done in the heart of serving their needs. This is Jesus’ message — The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath. Jesus didn’t break the law — the Pharisees just didn’t understand what it truly meant.

PRAY: Lord God, we praise you for the words of Scripture that we can lean on daily to understand the true heart and intent of your message for us. Help us to see the Sabbath as you truly meant it to be--not as a day for us to fulfill certain requirements, but as a day set apart to give us the rest we need. We praise you for that gift. I pray that you will help us to examine the margins in our lives so that we can find the rest we need. In Jesus' name, Amen.