Genesis 2:2-3 The seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.
When we celebrate Labor Day in America, we honor the dignity of hard work, but God’s Word reminds us that our highest dignity is found in our rest.
Our text above sets the pattern by resting on the seventh day, not because God was tired, but to declare that creation was complete and good.
Labor Day in America is a celebration of what man has accomplished, but the biblical Sabbath shifts our focus from what our hands have built to what God’s hand has provided.
Labor Day should remind us that our identity is not found in our job title, our salary, or our career achievements. Our identity is found in Jesus Christ, who looks at a weary, overworked workforce and says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28, NIV).
People of God, let us not look at today, “Labor Day,” as another day off from the job, but as a holy reminder of God’s grace. Both of these days demand that you put down your tools, and both of these days require that we step away from the plow.
The world tells us that if we stop moving, we’re going to fall behind. The world tells us that our worth is wrapped up in our work, and our value is tied to our volume.
When we connect the dots between the American holiday and the Holy Sabbath, we see that the day of rest is not a reward for what we accomplished; it is a recognition of Who is taking care of us.
Labor Day is America’s way of saying: "Man worked hard, so man deserves a break." But the Sabbath is God’s way of saying: "I am your Provider, so you can afford to sit down and rest!"
Today, I leave us all with these two reminders from God. Our identity is in Christ Jesus, and not our works. “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Eph. 2:10, NIV). Also, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men” (Col. 3:23, MEV).
Today, God reminds us that we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, and that our labor is unto Him, the Lord our God, and not man.
Wishing you a blessed and restful Labor Day weekend!
Yours in Christ,
Minister Aiken.
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