Sabbath rest

The Hope of Sabbath Rest

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And that day was the preparation, and the Sabbath drew on. Luke 23:54 KJV

Though few of us who call ourselves Christians keep a strict Sabbath these days, we probably still think of Sunday morning as the beginning of a special day set aside for heading to church. What we forget is that in the Bibe, the drawing near of Sabbath, did not mean that it was almost dawn, but that it would soon be night. In today’s passage, as Joseph and Nicodemus carried the lifeless body of Jesus they hurried, because by law they must be done before sunset when Sabbath began. Yet the darkness at the beginning of Sabbath, was not intended by God to be a curse, but rather a sign of hope. Because as sunset drew near, it signaled the beginning of rest after the hard labor of the week. Then all twenty-four of the hours ahead belonged to God for a Sabbath rest as God’s special day and a time to be enjoyed.

In the same way, for those of us who are older, as our lives are beginning their final chapters, we need not fear the closing in of shadows and the darkening of horizons. These are all signs that the chapter that lies ahead completely belongs to God. Just as Jesus lay in the tomb on the day of rest in hope of the resurrection, we also share that same hope. There is no defeat in that darkness but rather a joyful quiet hope that believes that we will rest in our Father’s arms and rise again to walk with our Lord on the first day of a new and eternal week!

“Above all things and in all things, O my soul, rest always in God, for He is the everlasting rest of the saints.    Grant, most sweet and loving Jesus, that I may seek my repose in You…   For my heart cannot rest or be fully content until, rising above all gifts and every created thing, it rests in You. Thomas à Kempis

After the Sabbath Passed

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Mother duck slept in one day
Still and quiet without sound
Trusting God to guard her ducklings
Bedded down beside the pond

The early mists swirled on the lake
Wisps stirred up by sun’s first ray
And birds begin to seek again
Their provision for the day

Now my heart waits on my Lord
Who bedded down behind the stone
Till after Sabbath passed at dawn
He rose to fly Father’s throne


Peter Caligiuri
Copyright © 2026
All rights reserved


Come and Rest

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And He said to them, “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat. So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves. Mark 6:31-32 NKJV

Jesus’ invitation to rest must have sounded wonderful to his tired and hungry disciples. The busyness of the ministry had denied them even a few minutes downtime to eat. Though Mark doesn’t fill in all the details, it may have been that they set out late in the afternoon and spent a quiet evening sailing across the lake looking forward to a day snoozing on a faraway beach. But in the morning as they approached shore, the sight that greeted them was not at all what they had expected. Let’s listen in on what their conversation might have been:

“Wake up Peter! Hoy smokes! Look at all the people on the beach!” John blurted out. Peter, still rubbing sleep from his eyes, sat up and peered over the side of the boat and groaned.

“Oh no! You better go and wake up the rest of the guys. It sure looks like we aren’t getting the day off after all!”

Remember, these twelve men were just regular, nine to five, working guys. Though they had committed to following Jesus with all their hearts, their everyday mannerisms were not those of professional clergymen, monks, or mystics. That morning, I am sure they wondered what had happened to the rest Jesus promised. It seemed like, the needy crowd had thwarted Jesus’ original plans. Did He somehow get off track? Absolutely not! Instead, Jesus was showing them (and us) that real rest is more than just kicking back in our recliner or peering over the side of a cruise ship. The rest that God invites us to is about resting in the work that He gives us today. Whether visiting a sick friend or listening to a family member venting their hurt and frustrations, Jesus offers us both strength for service and rest for our hearts as we yield to His plans.

So they all ate and were filled. And they took up twelve baskets full of fragments and of the fish. 
Mark 6:42-43 NKJV

Now, as we come to the end of the day, and we need to remember that the disciples had been invited to rest because there hadn’t been time for them to eat, and Jesus surprised them with twelve baskets full of bread and fish! Not only had He supplied plenty for them to eat, but with each bite they could also say: “This is miracle bread! This is miracle fish!” I don’t know what you are facing, but Jesus does, and He calls us to come and rest. But, as we come, we need to prepare for God’s unexpected call to service and be ready for the real rest and the greater miracle, that He has planned for us all along!