(Exodus 23:10-19) “You shall sow your land for six years and gather in its yield, 11 but on the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, so that the needy of your people may eat; and whatever they leave the beast of the field may eat. You are to do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove.
12 “Six days you are to do your work, but on the seventh day you shall cease from labor so that your ox and your donkey may rest, and the son of your female slave, as well as your stranger, may refresh themselves. 13 Now concerning everything which I have said to you, be on your guard; and do not mention the name of other gods, nor let them be heard from your mouth.
14 “Three times a year you shall celebrate a feast to Me. 15 You shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread; for seven days you are to eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, at the appointed time in the month Abib, for in it you came out of Egypt. And none shall appear before Me empty-handed. 16 Also you shall observe the Feast of the Harvest of the first fruits of your labors from what you sow in the field; also the Feast of the Ingathering at the end of the year when you gather in the fruit of your labors from the field. 17 Three times a year all your males shall appear before the Lord God.
18 “You shall not offer the blood of My sacrifice with leavened bread; nor is the fat of My feast to remain overnight until morning.
19 “You shall bring the choice first fruits of your soil into the house of the Lord your God.
“You are not to boil a young goat in the milk of its mother."
TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:
The Lord is gracious and practical. He wants us to rest and to celebrate in thanksgiving to Him! In the same way, we should be gracious and practical to anyone who works for us. They should also be allowed to rest from their labors once a week, and participate in celebrating.
The Lord also wants us to be giving! To the poor, as well as to the Lord. The first fruits are to be given to the Lord, which means the best ten percent coming out of one's income.
God deserves our best and wants the best from us, all the while making sure to let His children know how to be healthy and strong so that we can give Him our best. If God expects the impossible from us, it is only because He wants us to go to Him in order to accomplish it.
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