Blessed Peace

How awesome! The Creator God of the Universe loves me so much that He made an extra-special appointment with me for today.

Oh, God was with me yesterday. He talked with me and guided me, and at times told me to 'Be still' and listen. He sent His angels to protect me as I drove on various errands. He was able to get through to me many times as to when to 'talk' and when to just listen to others who were on a mission to give me counsel - some of which I'm sure was good, but some of which was 'filtered' and needed additional 'tweeking' by God before it would 'fit' my situation. (Isn't God wonderful to do things like that!)

So, why is today's appointment 'different'? Well, even though God is with me every day - Praise Him for that assurance - I have much to do here and there are times when I, of necessity, focus on a lot of what I term mundane activities day by day. But on this day's appointment with God, things are different. And why? Let me see if I can share just a bit why.

When God created this world in the 'beginning' as described in Genesis 1 He did His magnificent work in a 'war zone', if you please. Those of you who are reading this are probably familiar with some of the basics of that war which started long ago in a place called heaven. (If you would like more information on that topic let me know and I can share) In short, One of God's highest government 'officials' decided he could run God's government 'better' than God. It wasn't an overnight rebellion, to say the least, but when issues finally came to a head, it culminated in out and out 'war' and the Bible records that the opposition finally 'left' God's immediate presence.

But rest assured that wasn't the 'end' of the conflict. In fact, the opposition forces moved their headquarters eventually to this solar system and more particularly to an area we call earth.

God had not been taken by surprise, however, In fact, as mentioned above, One of His 'counterattacks', if you want to use that term, was to move into the same territory and claim what the enemy 'thought' was their 'turf' as rightfully God's territory.

A few years ago I had the privilege of listening to a professor of 'ancient history' on this topic. The professor pointed out that in the Genesis 1 account of the creation of this world there were specific references to the 'opposition' in relation to this cosmic war. (The KJV Bible and most other versions - probably because they didn't understand the story from a 'war' perspective - don't really indicate this in their translations into English.)

In one sense the creation of this earth into a habitable dwelling place and then the creation of a 'new' part of God's family was a key move on God's part in the 'war' in which He was involved.

Let me hasten to say that God in no way planned for Adam and Eve to join the opposition. God actually planned to use this earth as a place where He could reveal even more of who He really was and what He was really like. Even though Lucifer turned Satan and all who had chosen to accept his authority in place of God had left God's immediate presence in heaven, there were still some lingering questions even in minds of those who had chosen to remain loyal to the Creator God. Being the God of love that He is, God chose to reveal Himself in ways that would forever answer those lingering questions in part through the creation of this earth and the 'new' family that would have their home here on planet earth.

As the end of the sixth day of creation drew to a close the Bible tells us that God 'ended' His work. Everything He had created was awesome and complete and the whole loyal universe - who had been intensely looking on and learning more about their loving Creator during this creative process - 'exploded', you might say, in a grand 'hallelujah' chorus of love and adoration to their Wonderful Maker. As that grand celebration began to 'soften' and 'wind down' - somehow I sense that it may have continued for the whole next day (also refered to in the Bible as the seventh day) - God blessed the 'seventh' day and hallowed it (set it apart as special). In our terms of today God made the seventh day a 'holiday' (in a spiritual sense). And not only was that first 'seventh' day a grand celebration but God told His new earth family that from then on every Sabbath He would, in a special way, be there with them to 'remember' who He really is and what He is really like. WOW!

Yes, God is with us every day and for that I am so humbly grateful. But because one day Adam and Eve chose to 'disobey' God and come under the dominion of the opposition, the Sabbath has become meaningful in another way. Not only is it now a time to remember, in a special time holiday, that God created this world, God also made it a 'sign' or symbol of loyalty to Him in this great cosmic war zone.

So, how does this apply to me here and now? For one thing, during every seventh day Sabbath's twenty four hours - from sundown to sundown - God has given me the special 'right' to lay aside as many everyday, mundane activities as I possibly can so I will have that extra time to join in the cosmic celebration of adoration and worship to the Creator God who made me. How awesome! Even in this sin filled, pain wracked, seemingly evil dominated earth, the Creator God of the Universe has an appointment with us, His family, every Sabbath.

The enemy, I'm sure, was furious at this move on God's part. Consequently he has counter attacked in various ways and has tried, down through the ages, to obliterate this special 'time sign' of loyalty to the Creator God. One enemy tactic was to substitute another day as 'holy'. For some this worked quite well and there have even been 'human' laws mandating worship on any other day than the seventh day of each week throughout the history of this world.

But some (especially those who were in more direct contact with the Creator God, some of whom were written about in the Bible) held on to the Sabbath as a sign of their loyalty to the Creator God. The enemy of God and man realized that in order to 'fight' against these people he needed other 'tactics'. One plan he came up with, and it has been rather successful with too many, was to 'burden' the Sabbath with all kinds of traditions, rules, regulations, restrictions and taboos. God had said to 'keep the Sabbath holy'. Humans began to 'define' what holy meant. Then they would add their 'meanings' to it 'ad nauseum' until 'keeping the Sabbath holy' became a burden rather than a 'delight'. Sadly, this has been all too effective with too many.

But, although the seventh day Sabbath has been trampled upon by many, ignored by many, misinterpreted and even attempted to be 'changed' by law or otherwise, in the Bible God has declared that He is still meeting with His family every seventh day Sabbath by appointment.

So, what does this have to do with peace? For me every seventh day Sabbath is becoming more and more a time when I am given the privilege of laying aside human distractions and focusing more clearly on the God of Peace who tells me "Peace I leave with you". Oh yes, God is with me every day, praise Him. But on the Sabbath "I" can be more with Him. This Sabbath day of rest and gladness was established before sin took the human race hostage and God promises that it will continue on even after sin and sinners are no more.

Think of it, the last book in the Bible, Revelation, gives us the promise that even after sin has been banished from God's universe, every Sabbath we will still have that special appointment with the Creator God where we can partake of God's PEACE and JOY. What a loving God.

The seventh day Sabbath as a sign of loyalty to God was established by God as the final act of creation week, even before Adam and Eve sinned, God later told His family to 'remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy' when He spoke from Mt. Sinai to His family whom He had just delivered from Egypt and set free from Satan's form of goverment. God reminded His family throughout the Old Testament times that the Sabbath was the 'sign' between Him and them that He was their God. In the New Testament, Jesus (by His own example) kept the Sabbath holy. And when Jesus revealed Himself to John the Beloved (who recorded it for our encouragement in the book called 'The Revelation of Jesus Christ') He opened to John's understanding that the same sign of love and loyalty to the Creator God - keeping the Sabbath holy - would remain through time and for eternity.

What a privilege for me! I can join the rest of the family of God every seventh day Sabbath in celebration and worship to the Creator God who loves me so much. And as I experience the JOY of His salvation, His PEACE also is poured into my soul.

During each week so many other activities bid for my attention. But God has given me a special right to lay them aside each Sabbath so that "I" have extra time to spend with Him. Even though He is always with me every day, that special Sabbath time is becoming more and more special to me - as is His plan.

Blessed Peace! Yes, and far more. I thank God for this special, precious, 'time gift' of the Sabbath every week. Praise the Lord!

May I invite you to join me this Sabbath, and every Sabbath from now on, in this special JOY filled, PEACE producing time with Him and His family here on earth and in heaven.

Bringer of Peace