A Sabbath Reminder

More things to thank GOD for :))

Since starting school, it's really been a challenge to keep rest time, rest time. With classes Mon and Wed nite, 630-930pm, plenty of required readings (not to mention other prescribed additional ones) and all the initial admin stuff to do, it was been really rather physically challenging.

Monday is my official Sabbath day, and while i should be able to rest the day time before class in the evening, I use it also to catch up on my readings and it is so hard to really rest coz my mind would be thinking about the readings and case studies for laterl. Hence, the last 2 - 3 weeks its been rather draining for me esp with the bout of activities happening at work and in school and the need to utilise every travelling moment to do my readings. The cumulative effect of such a draining schedule hit me most this week with God reminding me from the word of God of the reason and importance of guarding Sabbath rest. These are the events that led to the above conclusion:

Challenge #1 - Group Assignment Deadlines

This last week was possibly the most challenging time @ work while still balancing studies. What threw a spanner in the cogs was when on Tues pm, my professor for Monday's class told us that we are to upload our group work on the NUS network by Sunday nite. I almost FAINTED reading that!! First, it was just going to be IMPOSSIBLE to do since it is not possible for me to do my own individual analysis then meet my team by then! Tue nite- Pryr Meeting, Wed nite - class, Thurs - nite teaching ENLI, Friday to Sunday nite - up @ Genting Highlands for student camp. So, i had to somehow squeeze time after those events and on Fri am to do my personal analysis and email it to my group mates so they could also glean from it and consolidate the report.

I am super thankful for my project team mates. They have been SO gracious and understanding towards me. The final report was consolidated by an amazing lady in my group. I used to think there'd be class politics and possibly pp being very competitve etc.. but i m so impressed by the calibre and character of my classmates to date. Not only are they efficient, effective in what they do. they are also some of the most generous and gracious group of pp. Thank GOD for giving me the opportunity to meet them! God knows who to bring in your life at the right time.

Challenge #2: Readings for Class for Monday Nite 

In preparation for class tonight, i had to read 2 major stacks of notes and some other pages from the txtbook. It was really starting to be impossible considering that we departed friday nite for Genting only to be back on Sunday nite.

BUT I just knew that somehow, with the "packedness" of the last week and with the gentle and consisting prompting of the Holy Spirit, I HAD to take my true Sabbath, spend quality time with God.. extended time.. I really HAD to above all else and to really rest my soul. So, I decided that I WAS NOT going to do my readings before 3pm today in order to rest, knowing, that therefore, i will not be able to complete it in time for class. I did my readings from 3 to 4 pm before falling asleep unknowingly and i woke up at 530pm in time to go to school! In essence, i read less than i hoped to AND i was unable to print out our assignment that was due for discussion today :( so naturally i went to school feeling like a bad student, but yet at the same time, still very grateful for a true restful monday.

And AMAZINGLY, it just happened that my prof had not finished last week's class discussion and hence today was just a continuation of last week's lecture and for which the readings i had already done!! ALSO, HE printed out all the assignments that'd been submitted for each person so i actually didn't need to print out our assignment for discussion!! GOD is ssooo awesome!!

Truly, God knows everything you need and He knows when you're doing your best to honor Him in academics or whatever it is you do, but even more so when you know to prioritize Him over everything else. He multiplies your time in ways you never could have thought and He provides you with resources that you never thought possible. How much better to live a life of faith than on self-dependence, how much better to see the provision of God than your own provision as you honor Him above all things.

Hebrews 4:9-12 says,

"There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience. For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart ""

Interestingly, vs 12 describes what the Word of God is like, thereby emphasizing the need to ingest, digest the Word of God in our spirits during our Sabbath. In our time with Him, He shows us what part of our lives and decisions are motivated what comes from our soul (mind will and emotion) vs what comes from the spirit.. Discerning for us where we may be allowing ourselves to be led by our souls instead of the Spirit of God. And how we need that!  It's so easy to be overwhelmed by what you need to do on a day to day basis, and eventually it can just become routine, separate of the Spirit if we're not careful.

This Monday is the most restful Monday i've had since August.. and I don't even feel that tired though class ended at 10pm today. I'm definitely going to keep "making every effort" for pre-class time to rest. I love it that God created and mandated rest for His people. Time management is so crucial as we continue to be good stewards of what God has given us.. GOD help me, help everyone in the bustling busyness of Singapore to find rest in You always.