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.

For you make me glad by your deeds, Lord; I sing for joy at what your hands have done. How great are your works, Lord, how profound your thoughts! Senseless people do not know, fools do not understand… (Psalm 92:4-6).

These verses make me wonder if we aren't all a little senseless and maybe more than a little foolish. I'm thinking about Christians. Often, when we read such verses, we rarely wonder if we are in this category. After all, who wants to think of themselves as senseless and foolish? But let's take a moment to consider if we ought not to start with ourselves.

As mentioned last Friday, this is a Sabbath Psalm. Our reflections on rest must include the creation story with which the Bible begins. In the pause between the two accounts of God creating the cosmos, we find the Creator resting. Was he tired? Was he exhausted from his creating out of nothing? Did he need a little nap?

No God followers have seriously considered an affirmative answer to these questions. The consensus is that God took time to delight in his creative work. With the Heidelberg Catechism, we confess that God "out of nothing created heaven and earth and everything in them, and still upholds and rules them by his eternal counsel and providence" (A 26). However, this upholding and ruling does not require the kind of grinding work and attention many of us are accustomed to in today's economy. God could rest and enjoy; creation did not fall apart.

Caring for his creation does not overtax him. He has more than enough energy and lots to spare. Therefore, with the Catechism we also believe that this Creator "is my God and Father because of Christ his Son. I trust him that he will provide whatever I need for body and soul… He is able to do this because he is almighty God; he desires to do this because he is a faithful Father."

These are some of the deeds that make his people glad. They cause us to sing for joy. When we pay attention, we discover how profound God is. But here is the rub, many of us are too foolish and too senseless to pay attention. We miss Sabbath because our noses are always pressed against the grindstone. We have not paid attention to who our God is. He is not just creator, but also provider. In Christ, he is our father. Moreover, he sends the rain and the sun on all people.

God invites us to be like him: to rest, to delight, to step away from the grindstone of work in a sin filled world. Enjoy him. Sing to him. If you cannot do it on Sundays, find other times. Trust him. He loves you and cares for you. Let's leave behind our senseless and foolish ways.

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).

When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the Lord, the God of Israel, they came to Zerubbabel and to the heads of the families and said, "Let us help you build…" But Zerubbabel, Joshua and the rest of the heads of the families of Israel answered, "You have no part with us in building a temple to our God..." Then the peoples around them set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to go on building (Ezra 4:1-4).

There is opposition to the kingdom of God. Israel had returned from her exile in Babylon and begun to rebuild God's temple. Immediately, enemies appear. This is normal.

When Abram arrived in the land of promise, famine struck. When the Israelites got too numerous in Egypt, Pharaoh enslaved and killed them. All through their journey in the wilderness, they faced struggle and opposition. When Jesus was born, there was an immediate threat on his life. The post-Pentecost church encountered persecution before she had time to catch her breath.

For generations, western civilization has been directed by people who by and large got their guidance from the Christian scriptures. In that cultural space the church grew lax, and church leaders exercised significant influence and even power in the public sphere. Generally, it was easy to be a Christian.

Christians are now in the minority, and the church has lost her moral authority. In fact, by her own doing, the church has largely become suspect. Like in the days of Zerubbabel, we face extensive, sustained and somewhat organized opposition. This will not go away. Jesus himself told us that in this world we would face trouble (John 16:33). We haven't taken him seriously. Thus, many Christians are unsure how to live in this new reality.

So how should we respond?

The returned exiles offer us a warning. People came to them offering help. What they really wanted was control and influence. They were folks who worshipped multiple gods and were inviting the returned Jews to compliment their worship of God by adding a few deities. Zerubbabel would not budge. We need a renewed call in the church to the Lordship of Christ, to living each day under the influence of his kingdom.

A question: have you spend anytime in personal confession recently? Confession is about discerning the ways in which we do not live according to God's Word. If we don't take time for it, can we really say that we desire to worship God alone?

When Jesus spoke to his disciples about having trouble in this world, he also encouraged them with this, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).

When we face opposition, we do not need to respond in anger or with fear. Rather, we ought to ask Jesus to let his peace invade our hearts, so that we can respond with love and gentleness. We do not have to be afraid of the world because in the end, only Jesus' kingdom will remain. And that kingdom comes in small acts of love and kindness by his followers.

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 us spend another week reflecting on Israelite feasting. We considered the emotional and ethical benefits of celebration. Today, let us reflect on the theological benefits—how did these feasts shape Israel's relationship with God?

God is host. The gathering is at his invitation, and it is celebrated "to the Lord". He is the focus of the celebration. Why was this important? Israel's economy originated from God; it was sustained by him, and it was for him. These celebrations were a specific occasion for the Israelite workers, farmers, business folk and others to recognize that God was worthy of harvest praise because he was blessing his people with abundance.

Having settled in the promised land, Israel was faced with two temptations. God's people face these same impulses today. First, that our wealth is the result of our own hard work; and second, that we have received our resources from some other source. Giving in to the first temptation results in pride and likely a selfish use of our wealth – "I made it, I get to use it as I see fit." The second impulse breeds a desire to keep the source of our wealth happy so that the money keeps flowing our way. This, of course, is the same as the idolatry Israel struggled with throughout the Old Testament.

Feasting in the presence of God was Israel's method of directing hearts and hands toward the Lord. It also kept them from looking back to the economy of Egypt which was directed by Pharoah. There was no feasting in Egypt, as least, not for Israel. Harvest celebrations reminded Israel of her true master, the Lord God. He was generous.

In many Christian communities, celebrations are frowned upon as frivolous. We act like the disciples when the woman anoints Jesus with perfume. "What a waste," they say, "it should have been used to help the poor" (Mark 14). But Jesus commends her. Celebration of God's good provisions is a healthy spiritual practice.

As you live out this week, consider the material things God has blessed you with. Certainly, you may share them with the poor. But also consider how you will celebrate publicly the blessings God has given. Next time you plan a family feast, are there others that you should invite so that they can share in the harvest God has given you? Consider also how might the church develop the discipline of celebration. In what ways can we celebrate the wondrous redemption that God offers us in Christ Jesus?

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.

It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High, proclaiming your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night, to the music of the ten-stringed lyre and the melody of the harp (Psalm 92:1-3).

In the NIV Bible on my desk, this psalm is prefaced with, "A song for the Sabbath Day." Among God's people in the Old Testament, this psalm was the Sabbath psalm. As such, it ought to linger in the imagination of God's people today to help us into a better Sabbath understanding.

Among Christians, there are two dominate approaches to the Sabbath. In the first, we attempt to recreate as much of the Old Testament structure of the seventh day as we can. We do as little physical exertion as possible, refuse to buy and sell, and take a rest from making money. Anyone who does not make concerted effort towards this is deemed less spiritual. The challenge is that such commands were instituted through Moses for a society that was homogeneous. Everyone followed the same rule book. Since we do not live in monolithic communities, to recreate this is not possible. So, we tend to create our own rule books of Sabbath restrictions.

The second approach is to ignore Sabbath completely. Such Christians may gather for communal worship on Sundays but otherwise give little consideration to what Sabbath keeping was meant to offer us.

In both approaches, the teaching on Sabbath in Exodus and Deuteronomy is central and shapes how we understand the teachings regarding rest throughout scripture. What would happen if we allowed such passages as Psalm 92 to shape our practice of Sabbath? I suggest that it might deepen our appreciation of God's Sabbath intentions.

This Psalm lifts our eyes. It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High, proclaiming your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night. This illustrates a central problem with focusing solely on one day of the week. We cannot become Sabbath people by putting all the emphasis on Sunday.

The Sabbath day was designed as both a goal and a launching pad. The goal was a life of praise to God 24/7. To work towards that goal, a day of rest from income earning labour was instituted for Israel. If we never cease working, we will become people who believe that survival depends on our capabilities. The more we work the more our eyes are turned downward.

Sabbath is God's invitation to turn our eyes upward; to see him and to know him as the creator, sustainer and redeemer of this world and of our lives. Have a look at your calendar. Put some slots in there for lifting your eyes towards God; time to pay attention to him. If this is new for you, start small. Notice what rhythms and attitudes of your heart begin to change.

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).

With praise and thanksgiving, they sang to the Lord: "He is good; his love toward Israel endures forever." And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. But many of the older priests and Levites and family heads, who had seen the former temple, wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy" (Ezra 3:11-12).

"God is good, all the time; all the time, God is good."

Many of us have declared this. But some of us may not use it very well, that is, we only use it when we have experienced something which we consider good.

For example: when someone is in a car accident but unhurt and the insurance payout is good. Or when someone loses a job but quickly gets a better one. Or when cancer treatments are successful so that the doctor declares 'cancer free.' Or when we think we failed a test, but the teacher gives us a B+.

It's vastly more difficult to say, 'God is good,' after the doctor says there is no more treatment, or the accident results in permanent injury, or the job lose results in extended unemployment, or the test result is a D-.

So, this raises an important question: is God only good some of the time? Does God take time off from being good? Of course, he doesn't. "God is good all the time."

This is what the Israelites were declaring as they rejoiced and cried together. They had returned from exile, cleaned up some of the rubble in Jerusalem and begun to rebuild the temple. When the foundation had been laid, they paused to give praise to God. They created a such a loud noise it could be heard for miles around. However, people heard both crying and rejoicing.

The older folks had seen the temple that Solomon had built. This new one wasn't going to be anything as grand as the old one. They recognized that Israel had been reduced to little more than a stump of the tree it had once been. The new temple was symptomatic of that.

Yet, they declared, God is good.

Why? Because God's love endures forever. Those older folks new this better than the young. They were the ones who had seen Israel's sin, and they knew that the exile had been a result of this sin. Israel had done it to herself. God should have given up on them. But he hadn't. He had moved Cyrus to let Israel return to her own land, the land God had given them.

God's goodness was seen in his faithfulness despite Israel's sin. God was and is good. They saw it in this new Jewish community centred in the temple. God's goodness enables us to endure downturns. It is important to praise God, to declare that God is good, even when life is not. When we don't feel like it, praise becomes an act of faith. It's a declaration that God will see us through the darkness. And at times it is also a declaration that God will see us or a loved one through the vale of death. Jesus is our shepherd even then.

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.