Exodus 31:12-13
“Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Say to the Israelites, ‘You must observe my Sabbaths.  This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the Lord, who makes you holy.’”

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

Hebrews 4:9-11a
“There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his.  Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest…”

Holy Lord, unlike the gods of our world you command abstinence from performance.

How privileged we are to serve you by laying aside the burdens of our labour one day in seven.  By entering your rest we rely on your sufficiency rather than our striving.

In ceasing from self-important toil, may our obedience allow you to remove our weariness.  Make us people who honour deep fellowship with their Creator.

In the name of the Lord of the Sabbath we pray, the reason we are made holy in rest and our very great reward.

Listen to ‘O Day of Rest and Gladness’ featuring Ian Fitchuk