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•A Sabbath Day Prayer for the Weary•By Anthony Valente👉 “He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.” (Psalm 23:3)I look forward to Sundays. Singing along to praise and worship music from my favorite playlist, enjoying an extra cup of coffee. Catching an early morning sermon online or making plans with family to meet for lunch after church. But this past Sunday, things didn’t start as usual. Unexpected circumstances got in the way of the respite I’d grown accustomed to.Stress took over first thing in the morning as I worked through a difficult situation. I tried to squeeze in some afternoon rest but couldn’t. My mind would not wind down. I ended the day exhausted, with a headache for an added bonus. I missed my Sabbath, which I feared would affect my entire week.We can do our best to honor what God modeled for us when he rested on the seventh day, after bringing all of creation to being in six days. “So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.” (Genesis 2:3) But sometimes things happen we can’t control, and our need for rest may get pushed back. Maybe our people need us or something urgent requires our attention. There are a hundred reasons or more why our usual Sabbath Day may not look the way we planned. And missing a time of rest in the Lord can leave us weary and struggling to face the week ahead. So what do we do when life happens, and we unintentionally skip the Sabbath?The psalmist David spoke to our need for replenishment in Psalm 23:3 where he wrote these beautiful words, “He restores my soul.” David’s praise can be our heart’s cry today, or any day we feel weary. The God of creation will restore us with strength, joy, and peace. All we need to do is sit with him and allow these words to lead us in a time of prayer and worship. Whatever day of the week and whatever time of day, God is ready to meet us there and begin his restorative work in our hearts.Sometimes I forget that Sabbath rest can be enjoyed anytime. I get used to my routine. Some of us observe the Sabbath on Saturday some on Sunday, but in Mark chapter 2, Jesus revealed a mindset shift regarding the Sabbath when he said, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:27) Just as the Israelites practiced keeping the Sabbath Day holy, we can practice holy rest through Jesus. So, after the rough day I had on Sunday, I made time on my day off Thursday to pray, read my Bible, and sit in God’s presence. I could sense God restoring my soul and knew I was experiencing Sabbath rest. He comforted me in my weariness and gave me strength. What a precious time it was. If you’ve started the day exhausted or worn out today, let God meet you for a time of Sabbath rest. Let’s begin with this Sabbath Day prayer for the weary and spend a few moments with him. He is our Master Restorer.Let’s pray.✝️ Dear God,I am weary. I’ve tried to make time to rest in Your presence, but life seems to get in the way. Forgive me for not observing the Sabbath in a way that pleases You. You are the only one who can restore my soul.I need You, Lord, but I know restoration will not happen if I don’t make time for Sabbath rest. When I spend time with You, I just feel better. It’s hard to find even an hour of quiet time, but I know You will help me as I seek to put You first in my life. Open my eyes to pockets of time where I can enter into Sabbath rest and allow You to refresh my spirit. I want more of Your restoring presence, God. You are my Healer, my Comfort, and my Strength.Thank You for Your promise to give me rest when I come to You. (Matthew 11:28) That is a precious gift, and I am so grateful for it. And thank You for the gift of a Sabbath Day. May it always remind me to honor You. In Jesus’ holy name, I pray,AMEN 🙏 “Keep the Sabbath day holy. Don’t pursue your own interests on that day, but enjoy the Sabbath and speak of it with delight as the LORD’s holy day. Honor the Sabbath in everything you do on that day, and don’t follow your own desires or talk idly. Then the LORD will be your delight. I will give you great honor and satisfy you with the inheritance I promised to your ancestor Jacob. I, the LORD, have spoken!”(Isaiah 58:13-14)Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.(Psalm 37:4)“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.(Exodus 20:8-11)I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.(Psalm 16:8)You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.(Psalm 16:11)Therefore, you shall keep the Sabbath, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it must be put to death; for whoever does work on the Sabbath, that person (soul) shall be cut off from among his people [excluding him from the atonement made for them].(Exodus 31:14)I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.(Psalm 34:4)And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.(Genesis 2:2-3)“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”(Psalm 46:10)And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.(Isaiah 30:21)But the Pharisees said to Jesus, “Look, why are they breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath?” Jesus said to them, “Haven’t you ever read in the Scriptures what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He went into the house of God (during the days when Abiathar was high priest) and broke the law by eating the sacred loaves of bread that only the priests are allowed to eat. He also gave some to his companions.” Then Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath!”(Mark 2:24-28)Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.(Psalm 51:10)The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.(Proverbs 29:25)All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.(2 Timothy 3:16-17)Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.(Hebrews 13:8)(pic verse)The LORD appeared to me in a faraway place and said, "I love you with an everlasting love. So I will continue to show you my kindness.(Jeremiah 31:3)