13 If you stop trampling the Sabbath,
stop doing whatever you want on my holy day,
and consider the Sabbath a delight,
sacred to the Lord, honored,
and honor it instead of doing things your way,
seeking what you want and doing business as usual,
14 then you will take delight in the Lord.
I will let you ride on the heights of the earth;
I will sustain you with the heritage of your ancestor Jacob.
The mouth of the Lord has spoken.
Reflection
All of us who are old enough to drive recognize the traditional STOP sign at the corners of an intersection. That sign is a clear warning of what might happen if the traffic law is not obeyed. Another form of laws we obey are those given directly from the LORD, including the 10 Commandments.
We all have our personal, or family, STOP signs to protect us. Some of these warnings take time, maturity and wisdom to develop. One example for me was to STOP texting my daughters when I knew they were driving. The last thing I wanted to do was to distract them, especially when they were “immature” drivers. Other STOP signs may go beyond the “Do Nots” of the Old Testament Commandments, but focus on “Do-ing” things more important than my own pleasure on God’s holy day.
By An Anonymous Sinner, Saved by Grace
For Pondering & Prayer
Isaiah points out number 5 on the top 10 Commandments hit-list as a STOP sign for us, simply: “remember the Sabbath day and treat it as holy” (Exodus 20:8, Deuteronomy 5:12). The STOP sign pointed out in verse 13, warning of negative consequences, moves to verse 14 of positives – IF you STOP…
What STOP signs do YOU need to obey, or add to your family routine? Sometimes it’s helpful to think in terms of two questions – one about faith in God, one about relationships with others.
Prayer: Thank you, LORD, for keeping us safe and protected by instructing us in the ways that we should go. We confess that YOUR ways are higher than our ways as we seek to obey your commandments. We humbly ask wisdom from your Word to recognize and understand that your STOP signs are the only way we can rest under your wing. Amen.
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