This day was made for you! Living from Rest, Not For it.
The Sabbath as a Gift, Not a Burden
Mark 2:27 states, "The
sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath."
In this verse, Jesus is
confronting the Pharisees who were questioning His disciples breaking
rules. Here, Jesus is saying that the
end game is not to live up to the Sabbath law but to receive the Sabbath as a
gift. The Sabbath was instituted in
Genessis 2 as a day of reset and renewal from work. God rested on the 7th day and
invites us to as well.
Commentary notes that Sabbath was
given as a gift to humanity as a time for rest and renewal. It was intended to benefit them and remind
them of God’s provision and care rather than burden people down under the
weight of following rules.[1]
This statement by Jesus emphasizes
that the Sabbath is intended to serve humanity's needs rather than to impose
burdens on them. It highlights the purpose of the Sabbath as a gift for rest
and restoration, rather than a strict obligation.
There is so much that we can glean
from this verse about who to live life and how to think about life:
Time Wasters and False
Obligations: First of all, frequently
people waste time by following rules and processes out of a feeling of
obligation, responsibility, or social pressure.
We do things that do not benefit us as we try to please others, try to
live up to ours and other’s expectations, and try to carry the weight of responsibility.
As a brief example, I felt an invitation
by God a little earlier to go on a walk.
It was beautiful outside, and we see glimpses of fall colors peaking
through the trees. I kept putting it off
because I had a list of responsibilities to complete. I thought to myself that as soon as I finish
all my responsibilities, then I will go on a walk. But by that time, it rained and I couldn’t
go. I missed out as a result of a
sense of obligation and underlying belief that work must always be complete to
go have fun. If I would have allowed God to nudge me away,
I would have enjoyed myself with Him, been refreshed and able to come back to
work with fresh energy.
We need to replace beliefs that
work must always be done first to seeing refreshing as a benefit to health,
energy and altitude in enjoying life and completing work. Sometimes, it is better to say to ourselves
that the work will wait. There is a
futility of human efforts when we are always laboring hard to feel deserving of
a break to have fun. This is the second
point.
The Day Was Made for Us, Not Us
For The Day. Not only the Sabbath was
made for us, but this day was
made for us. Our story was written
before we were formed in our mother’s womb.
God thought about how He would make us, what we would do, and what we
needed. He thought of everything before
a single day came about.
He wrote us into this day. We are
part of His plan. The trees, the sky,
the chirping crickets, the beauty of life, and the difficulty and even anguish,
we have been given as a gift. As we walk
through the day, we need to remember that we are here because God wrote us
in. We matter to Him.
Ever been written off? It feels awful. It’s one of the most painful human
experiences. You’re excluded while everyone else is invited. The circle of
friends closes, and you’re left outside—off the island, forgotten, dismissed.
It’s as if your presence never mattered. Or worse, you’re used up and discarded
like something disposable.
But here’s the truth: Even if your
father or mother writes you off, God never does. He doesn’t forget. He doesn’t
discard. He doesn’t overlook. In His Word, He promises that you are always on
His mind. You have a place at His table.
While others may erase you, God writes you in—again and again. You are
chosen, cherished, and held close.
Created to Enjoy Life. We were never meant to merely toil. Life
is not just about digging ditches or grinding through tasks. We were created to
taste, see, smell, and take in the fullness of life. To embrace and be
embraced. To laugh with joy and weep with compassion. To delight in the aroma
of fresh rain, blooming flowers, and warm bread. Every sensory gift is a divine
invitation to experience the goodness of God.
Honor and Enjoy the Lord. We were made for relationship—with one
another, and most profoundly, with Christ. Everything we do, everything within
our purview, was designed to flow from that sacred connection. The Sabbath was
never just a pause from labor—it was a space carved out for delight. A day to
enjoy God. To rest in His presence. To remember that we are not machines, but
beloved children. So honor the Lord. Enjoy Him. Receive the day as a gift.
Because the greatest joy of all is simply being with Him.
Brother Lawrance would say that to
even pick up a saltshaker, he would do for the love of God. Every moment of every day and in every
action, he found a way. A way to honor,
a way to delight, a way to keep God ever in his sight. This the essence of living life not cheaply—
positioning yourself to know Him more deeply. To live with intention, in His
love, having communion with Him from above. This is the meaning of living life to the
full, open for Him to on our heartstrings to pull.
Let Go of Dread of The Worst. This comes to my last point that there are no
“bad days.” God called them all good –
every single one of them. While we make
poor choices at times and experience consequences for this, God works all
things for our good. The day itself is
not a disaster. It is still good.
We can dread the worst, and fear
will creep in breeding anxiety. We then begin
maneuvering, managing, grasping—trying to control our circumstances to avoid
imagined catastrophe. But here’s the irony: That very fear, that grasping and
controlling—that is the worst happening to us.
I think of Corey Ten Boom and how
she would have to stand at attention in the cold for role call. She made it through those days by trusting
God and seeing Him in it. God met her at
every turn. And God will meet us in
every difficulty if we let Him. We must
stop disastercizing our circumstances. Instead of preparing for the worst, what
if we began to speak hope, life, and goodness into everything we face?
We may walk through life more like
there are landmines all around. We think that we have to say all the right
things and do all the right things or something is going to blow up and take a
limb off. But God speaks over and over Psalm 16:6, “The lines have fallen for me in
pleasant places; Indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.”
Indeed! He gives so much and just
keeps on giving more. When we look at
life from this perspective then we do not need to fear, control, hide, or
protect. Rather, we can trust that what
God is doing is going to turn out beautiful and enter into it with open hands
and a surrendered heart.
Lord, this is the day that You
have made. Let us rejoice and be glad in
it. Let us be free from all fear and
live fully abandoned and attentive to you in this season.
[1] Bible
Hub. Study of Mark 2. Located at: Mark 2:27 Study Bible: And he
said to them, "The Sabbath was made for people, not people for the
Sabbath. Last Accessed: 9/21/2025.
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