A Sabbath Invitation

A Sabbath Invitation
A devotion By Jason Ling
 
Devotional: "Rest for Your Soul — A Sabbath Invitation"

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” – Matthew 11:28 (NIV)

Summer is often filled with activity — vacations, gatherings, family trips, and a constant stream of things to do. Even though the season is meant to feel lighter, the pace can leave us feeling as weary as any other time of year.

But God offers something different: Sabbath.

Sabbath isn’t just a day off; it’s a sacred pause. A gift of rhythm. A divine invitation to stop striving and simply be — in the presence of the One who restores our souls.

In the Old Testament, God modeled rest on the seventh day of creation (Genesis 2:2-3). He wasn't tired; He was showing us that rest is holy, necessary, and good. Jesus echoed that call when He said, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27). It’s God’s way of saying, “You don’t have to earn rest — I give it freely.”

When we set aside time — even in the middle of summer’s chaos — to rest, to worship, and to simply be still, we’re reminded that we are not held together by our schedules or productivity. We are held together by God.

Pause today. Turn off the noise. Let the to-do list wait. Go outside. Breathe. Reflect. Pray. Sabbath can be a Sunday, or it can be a sacred hour carved out intentionally. In that space, God meets you with peace, rest, and restoration.

Sabbath is God’s way of giving you what the world cannot — true rest for your soul.

Prayer:
Lord, in the midst of all the activity around me, help me to pause and find rest in You. Teach me to embrace the Sabbath as a gift, not a burden. Restore my soul, renew my strength, and help me walk in the peace only You provide. Amen.