Congratulations! You made it to the last day! We hope that you have been blessed by this devotional and that the fruit of Sabbath is growing and will continue to grow in your life, as you learn to keep the Sabbath following Jesus’ example. Today we will talk about the last, but certainly not the least facet of the fruit of Sabbath: rejoicing.

This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it. – Psalm 118:24

Indeed, whenever we decide to keep the Sabbath, we should remember that it is a day that the Lord has made for us to rejoice and be glad in it. Note that the reason why we rejoice is that it is the day that the Lord has made. The reason of our rejoicing is God, not us. Thus, it does not depend on our circumstances, our feelings, our mood, but on God alone. When God is inviting us to rejoice as we keep the Sabbath, He is reminding us once again to focus on Jesus alone. It is not about pretending we are happy despite our trials but rather truly finding our joy and comfort in Him amidst the trials. It is about reminding our souls that the God of the universe is for us and not against us, that He has won the battle and is victorious over all, and that in a little while He will deliver us from all evil. We rejoice not because of what our five senses tell us, but because of the hope in the glorious promise we have from the One who was, is and is to come! (Revelation‬ 1‬:8‬)

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! – Philippians 4:4

Salvation is more than enough reason for us to rejoice and be thankful. After what Jesus has done on the cross, His resurrection and ascension to heaven to prepare a place for us, He did not have any obligation to heal or bless us. However, He finds pleasure in doing it because of His abounding love and mercies towards us. For such great love, aren’t we thankful? None of our circumstances will separate us from His love!

“For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans‬ 8‬:38‬-39‬ ‬‬‬

How do we respond to His love? By celebration, by worship, by rejoicing! God is eternal; He has no beginning and no end. Our hardships are not eternal. Nothing is impossible for Him, and for us who believe in Him. Therefore, let’s focus only on Jesus, giving Him all our praises and thanksgiving. Only then will we see Him: The Father who loves us so much; the One who fights before us and gives us victory!

“Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.” – Psalms‬ 100‬:4‬

As you have probably noticed by now after reading this entire devotional, the focus of the Sabbath is Jesus. Keeping the Sabbath and experiencing its fruit of rest, reconciliation, reset, renewal, relationship, and rejoicing is not something that only happens in a day, but rather takes a lifetime. Though it is crucial to be intentional and take time off to seek the face of the Lord, it is important to remember that keeping the Sabbath is not only what we do during this special time off. It is a daily exercise we ought to perform to ensure its success. In the same way that a fruit doesn’t appear on the day the seed is planted, the fruit of Sabbath requires intentionality, discipline, consistency, and total surrender to the Holy Spirit to be manifest in our lives. Therefore, let us keep our gaze transfixed on the Author and Finisher of our faith as He transforms us into His image and makes us bear fruit for His glory! Let us pray together.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, I am sorry that often I am distracted by so many things and lose my focus on You. Please forgive me. Help me to always fix my heart and eyes only on you. I choose to rejoice in You, give you all the praise and worship You deserve, all the days of my life. Amen.