Unemployed Or Is It a God Appointed Sabbatical?

This Field is Taking A Rest Before it Produces Again.

God gave me a good word today out of a place I’d never expect it – Leviticus 25. I mean I usually skim through this book because it’s full of procedures for atoning, but He gave me a gem for those of us who are in “transition” – which is the politically correct word nowadays for unemployment.

The LORD said to Moses on Mount Sinai, ²³ For six years sow your fields, and for six years prune your vineyards and gather their crops. ⁴ But in the seventh year the land is to have a sabbath of rest, a sabbath to the LORD. Do not sow your fields or prune your vineyards. ⁵ Do not reap what grows of itself or harvest the grapes of your untended vines. The land is to have a year of rest. ⁶ Whatever the land yields during the sabbath year will be food for you—for yourself, your manservant and maidservant, and the hired worker and temporary resident who live among you, ⁷ as well as for your livestock and the wild animals in your land. Whatever the land produces may be eaten. “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter the land I am going to give you, the land itself must observe a sabbath to the LORD.

My devotional today asked me this question – Do I have the faith to do what God required of Israel?  In essence, do I have faith to place my source of livelihood completely in God’s hands?

So if God have given me two decades of work – and now – is giving me a year of sabbatical rest – can I trust him in that?  I know it’s God will for me to be without study employment at the moment, but I never saw it as truly a gift from him of rest. For me to get my soil rich again – to give it a breather so it can gain nutrients that have been depleted over the years.  He’s ordained this.  He wants me to rest. Rest in him. Trust him.

So if you are in transition…why not say the correct word – you are on Sabbatical. A God appointed Sabbatical. See it as a gift from God and that He knows exactly what you need to get the proper nourishment.  This was never more clearer to me than last week when my back collapsed on me.  That injury caused me to stop my world for a time and forced me to rest in him.  He keeps saying to me “rest, my child” just rest.  How come that is the hardest thing for me to do?

May you find peace, comfort and rest in whatever year you are in whether on a sabbatical or working during this period.  If working, look ahead – a sabbatical will be coming.

God Bless!