Sabbath revealed

S -
Number 15
32 While the Israelites were in the wilderness, a man was found gathering wood on the Sabbath day. 33 Those who found him gathering wood brought him to Moses and Aaron and the whole assembly, 34 and they kept him in custody, because it was not clear what should be done to him. 35 Then the Lord said to Moses, “The man must die. The whole assembly must stone him outside the camp.” 36 So the assembly took him outside the camp and stoned him to death, as the Lord commanded Moses.

Mark 3
4 Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent.
5 He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. 6 Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.

O -  Here we see two opposing views of the Sabbath, and it often forces me to ask am I too emphathetic to the man in numbers who is stoned for gathering wood on the sabbath, and yet the pharisees are continually try to catch Jesus working on the sabbath, and Jesus intentionally uses this a learning moment.  The truth in scripture says God/Jesus are the Lord of the Sabbath, and they determine what is righteous and what is not.   The Lord created the sabbath for man, for rest and reflection.   Only God can judge the hearts of men to know the intentions of mens hearts.  In the case of the numbers wood gather, the lord assessed the intentions of the mans heart and determined it was not for good and therefore judged him righteously.   In the case of Jesus,  he realized mens hearts had been hardened and become too religious because they would literally see God at work, and yet condemn the works of the Lord on the sole basis it was on the sabbath.

A -  The  application for me is to bring my hearts intentions on the sabbath before the Lord and test my own intentions and be ready for correction and direction.  I  have probably become complacent in my love of the sabbath without utilize it for a time of rest and reflection on what the Lord is doing and saying, and simply using it for my own recreation.

P -  Dear God, help me honor the sabbath, in a way that honors you and your intent for the sabbath in my life. In Jesus name, amen.