We are finally finished with our study of the bread of the presence and it's time to move on in Leviticus. This week, let's look at Leviticus 25:1-7:
The Lord said to Moses at Mount Sinai, “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter the land I am going to give you, the land itself must observe a sabbath to the Lord. For six years sow your fields, and for six years prune your vineyards and gather their crops. But in the seventh year the land is to have a year of sabbath rest, a sabbath to the Lord. Do not sow your fields or prune your vineyards. Do not reap what grows of itself or harvest the grapes of your untended vines. The land is to have a year of rest. Whatever the land yields during the sabbath year will be food for you—for yourself, your male and female servants, and the hired worker and temporary resident who live among you, as well as for your livestock and the wild animals in your land. Whatever the land produces may be eaten.
The issue of rest is highly subjective, for some believe it is spiritual while others see it as practical to be carried out literally. This directive pertains to agriculture, however, but it also involved an element of trust, for the Lord had to provide in year six what the people would need in years six, seven, and eight before the next harvest would be realized. I would imagine it would give their work animals a rest as well and also give the farmer a chance to repair tools. So rest, faith, and preparation for the future seem to the main elements of this practice. How can you extract lessons from this for your own situation?
First, when God gives you a "break" from work through a job transition (for whatever reason), don't be in a hurry to find something else. Don't fret, but instead trust God and seek Him for your future. Second, use the transition time to prepare for the next life chapter. Go visit friends or family, give some time to your hobbies, or just take walks so you can think, reflect, and dream. Don't sit at home in panic mode about your future, but also be prepared that the season of rest may last longer than you anticipated.
Finally, trust the Lord for your provision. God can use a job or company to pay you, but He doesn't need them. He can provide by supernatural means and this may be a season from which you will emerge with a testimony and a new lease on life—a life of faith.
Comments