For surely your enemies, Lord, surely your enemies will perish; all evildoers will be scattered (Psalm 92:9).

Growing up, my family rested on Sundays. As farmers, we needed to ensure our animals were sufficiently cared for. This work rarely took more than an hour in the morning and another in late afternoon. Much of Saturday was set aside for preparation, both on the farm and in the house. Often, by mid-afternoon everything was ready and we slowed down. We didn't go out Saturday nights; we went to bed early. Sundays we rested. But it was the preparation that made it possible.

This was a good rhythm. When I started in ministry, like most pastors, Monday was my Sabbath. However, when our children started school, I began to take Saturday's off so that we could do family stuff. I still take Saturdays off. I have discovered that it is good to take a day to clear my head. I'm feel refreshed on Sunday mornings. Saturday is my prep day by not working.

This matter of preparation for Sunday has largely disappeared. I think we should recover it. Recently, I came across the phrase, "Sabbath worship is the week's fulfillment and inspiration". It suggests that Sabbath ought not to be an interruption in our lives, but rather the main event, both our source and our goal.

Our text is a move in that direction, which comes to fuller expression in the book of Hebrews and is articulated well in the Heidelberg Catechism. It teaches us that one purpose of the Sabbath day is "that every day of my life I rest from my evil ways, let the Lord work in me through his Spirit, and so begin already in this life the eternal Sabbath" (A 103).

Our text anticipates this eternal Sabbath when all God's enemies are no more. For many Christians today, Sabbath keeping has become family time and/or not work time. These things are good, but they do not give us Sabbath. Sabbath is moving away from evil, by being justified by the blood of Christ, purified by the Word of God and by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. What would happen if we saw this as the focus of our lives? What if longing for the eternal Sabbath, in which evil is fully vanquished, was our highest goal?

As Hebrews tells us, this kind of living is entered by faith and the obedience that faith evokes in us. The Israelites missed out on this rest because they did not believe God could give it to them. They rebelled against Moses and God, refusing to go into the promised land. Now we are encouraged not to miss out on that rest, but rather to commit our lives to entering it.

Can we find the way? Here, the writer of Hebrews introduces Jesus as the greatest high priest. He has gone before us by entering heaven. His nail scarred body sits beside the throne of God. There, Jesus never ceases to intercede for his people. The way is open, we may enter boldly.

We are invited to see Sabbath rest not as an interruption to our self-focused lives. Rather, it refocuses us and becomes our fulfillment and inspiration. When we long for the end of evil, especially in our own lives, Sabbath keeping will not be duty but delightful. It will be an anticipation of the eternal Sabbath. What attitudes and practices need to change to embrace this kind of Sabbath rest?

As you journey on, receive Jesus' invitation into this rest:

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls (Matthew 11:28-29).

Then the people of Israel—the priests, the Levites and the rest of the exiles—celebrated the dedication of the house of God with joy (Ezra 6:16).

To fully appreciate this joy, we need to know how Israel almost missed out on it.

God had moved the heart of Cyrus, King of Persia, to bring an end to the Babylonian exile. Allowing them to go home, the king made provision for the rebuilding of the temple of God. Israel could begin worshipping their Lord again. God was clearly on the move.

However, once they started rebuilding, their neighbours recognized that if this temple was rebuilt, it would not be good for said neighbours: Israel would increase and the neighbours would decrease. The re-establishment of proper worship would mean that God was present among these Israelites. That would be a problem.

So, the neighbours set out hinder the project. Several attempts failed. Finally, they sent a letter to the new Persian king, highlighting that Jerusalem had been a difficult and rebellious city. If the temple and city were rebuilt, it was bound to rebel again. An order was issued to halt the project.

The Israelites went to their homes, leaving the temple half built and God stayed away. Well, sort of. God now he needed to move the hearts of his people. He sent the prophets Haggai and Zechariah. Both have books included in the Bible, detailing how God moved his people to relaunch the building project.

Despite their best efforts and their hard work at rebuilding their economy, it isn't going so well. Then Haggai came along and said its time to start rebuilding again, to which the people reply, "Look, we are working hard, barely making it, we really don't have time or money for the temple."

To which Haggai responds, "Don't you think that if you put God first, he will take care of your needs?" Zechariah adds, "The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; his hands will also complete it. Then you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you" (Zechariah 4:9).

Essentially, God puts a fleece before Israel: "Put me first and I will take care of you." Sounds like something Jesus echoed, "seek first [God's] kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" (Matthew 6:33).

The Israelites send a letter to the new Persian king, letting him know his predecessor had sent them home to rebuild the temple. And they start rebuilding. Soon a reply comes from Persia giving permission for the rebuilding. Moreover, the neighbours who were interfering are instructed to give daily provisions for the rebuilding and for the workers.

Now we understand the joy of the people celebrating the completion of the temple. They had seen what God does. It makes one wonder how much joy we miss out on because we don't heed Jesus' words, "seek first [God's] kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" (Matthew 6:33).

As you journey on, go with the blessing of God:

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever he may send you. May he guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm. May your day end with rejoicing at the wonders he has shown you. May you rest in his provision as he brings night, and then new dawn

For seven days celebrate the festival to the Lord your God at the place the Lord will choose. For the Lord your God will bless you in all your harvest and in all the work of your hands, and your joy will be complete (Deuteronomy 16:15).

Let's spend more time reflecting on Israelite feasting as prescribed by the Lord. Would such feasting benefit us today? I think it would help us connect our work and our worship.

First though, let us consider the paper trail our money leaves. For many, payment for work done is deposited directly into our bank accounts. Once there, we pay our bills right from our phones. We make donations to the church and to other charities through a variety of apps. The truth is that we have become disconnected from the fruit of our labours. We don't hold it. Few even see it in the form of a cheque. Technically, paper trails are a thing of the past. The disconnect from our income, spending and giving increases the difficulty of recognizing our work as worship. Celebrations could help.

Emotionally, celebrations would give occasions to stop and enjoy the goodness of God in our careers. It would give us a place to celebrate good work well done. Promotions, bonuses, new jobs and retirement would be cause for joy in the community recognizing such things as gifts from God. It would help us recognize that these things ought to be offered up to God in worship and need to be stewarded well for the glory of his name and growth of his kingdom.

Ethically, such celebrations would give us space to train ourselves to relate well to our income, our coworkers and the poor. Our excess would bless our community and cause delight for others. Feasting, which is not a solo event, would give us a way of responding joyfully to bonuses, raises and promotions. It would create a link between our economic and spiritual lives. We could see the joy on the faces of the people we bless.

Theologically, the discipline of celebration gives us a meaningful way to connect our material resources to God's provision and presence. Without feasting we forget; we easily begin to think that bonuses and promotions and raises are the result of our own diligence, hard work, brilliance or good fortune. When our resources are the result of our hard work, then we get to decide where our money goes. We need ways to remember that God calls us to steward his resources. Celebration is a legitimate form of stewarding God's possessions

Now you say, that was before Christ. Does this apply to Christians? Let me say that Jesus was certainly not opposed to a good celebration. He had a knack for ensuring they didn't fizzle out. He also regularly compared his kingdom to a good feast. And in 2 Corinthians 9, Paul writes about the joy others will expression because of the gifts from the Corinthian congregation, ending with, "Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!" Good celebrations will give us avenues to thank God for his physical and spiritual gifts.

As you journey on, go with the blessing of God:

Wherever God takes you this week, may He fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit and that you may live carefully—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity.