Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “Planning”
Our Bible verse for today: “You are to labor six days and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. You must not do any work …” Exodus 20:9-10 (HCSB)
Our thought for today: “Happy Labor Day”
God had a plan for our labor. We are to work diligently and well for six days and then we are to have a day of rest. Working hard is good for us and as I’ve noted in previous devotional messages this month, we do our best and most effective work when we plan it.
But we must also plan for our days of rest. God Himself has woven into His plan for our work lives regularly scheduled periods of rest from our labor. That’s one of the purposes of the Sabbath Day.
It’s also the purpose of Labor Day. It’s not certain exactly who came up with the idea of Labor Day, or when it started, but its origins can be traced back to the late 1800’s and the Labor Movement. The economic greatness of America is due in large part to the skill, diligence, and hard work of the men and women who make up the labor force in our nation. In the late 1800’s individual cities and towns began to designate a certain day each year for the celebration of the American worker. Individual states soon followed and finally in 1898, the Federal Government officially designated the first Monday in September as a national holiday and named it “Labor Day”.
Working hard is important. Being a good worker at whatever you do is also a spiritual discipline. It is part of the practice of our Christian faith. I personally believe that Christians should be the best workers in any business or organization and we are at our best, when we have a plan.
But that’s also true when it comes to rest from our labor. You have to plan for it. The Sabbath Day is designed to be a planned day of rest. So is Labor Day. Beyond that, each of us should individually plan regular periods of rest from our labor.
Happy Labor Day!
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 