The Practice of Sabbath | Delight

1. God Delights in Us.

…the Lord takes delight in his people…(Psalm 149:4a, NIV)

¹ O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me.² You know when I sit down or stand up.You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.³ You see me when I traveland when I rest at home.You know everything I do.⁴ You know what I am going to sayeven before I say it, Lord.⁵ You go before me and follow me.You place your hand of blessing on my head.⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,too great for me to understand!⁷ I can never escape from your Spirit!I can never get away from your presence!(Psalm 139:1-7, NLT)

2. God Wants Us to Find Delight in Him.

Take delight in the Lord,and he will give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:4, NIV)

²³ The Lord makes firm the stepsof the one who delights in him;²⁴ though he may stumble, he will not fall,forthe Lord upholds him with his hand.(Psalm 37:23-24, NIV

⁸ This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.⁹ “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. ¹⁰ If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. ¹¹ I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. (John 15:8-11, NIV)

3. The Sabbath Is a Day for Delight.

“If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbathand from doing as you please on my holy day,
if you call the Sabbath a delightand the Lord’s holy day honorable,and if you honor it by not going your own wayand not doing as you please or speaking idle words,¹⁴ then you will find your joy in the Lord,and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights of the landand to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.”For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.(Isaiah 58:13-14, NIV)