Did you know that psychological studies have discovered the crucial necessity of humans having a day off from work every week! It has been found that taking a day off, whether a "mental health day" or a vacation day, is crucial for maintaining mental and physical well-being, leading to improved mood, increased productivity, reduced stress levels, and better cognitive function upon returning to work; essentially acting as a "recharge" mechanism to prevent burnout.
With stress reduction, improved mood and positive emotions, enhanced creativity and problem solving, better focus and concentration, physical health benefits, and social connections being among the top reasons for people to take a day off, why aren't people doing it more? Is this part of our human nature, not taking advantage of the benefits of lifestyle practices that are for our betterment? This Sabbath day, you are experiencing part of the benefits of God's rest day for you: a day off, if you will.
A day that's like lemonade on a hot summer day! I know, it's not even close to summer and there is still a lot of snow not he ground. But the Sabbath day serves mankind in ways that psychological studies are encouraging people to do in their lives. Jesus said it best when he stated, "And he said unto them, 'The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.' " Mark 2:27, KJV. This next fundamental belief of the Seventh-day Adventist Church shares with us the greatest psychological gift God has given to mankind . . . the Sabbath Rest.
And while many have argued that the Sabbath Rest is a spiritual fulfillment of the development of the Christian character, the Seventh-day Adventist Church sees it as a literal day of rest and restoration for the spiritual lives of all of God's children. And on this literal day, you are partaking on what God has gifted humanity with . . . a Sabbath Day!
May you and your families be richly blessed on this Sabbath Day. May you find that the gift your've been looking for has been there all along. May you discover the greatest blessing you can implement in your life RIGHT NOW. Enjoying, keeping, observing the Sabbath day of God.
So, until the next time, this is Pastor Tello reminding you that thoughts do change lives!
Pastor Howard Tello