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By Mike Caton

Exodus 23:10-11, “For six years you are to sow your fields and harvest the crops, but during the seventh year let the land lie unplowed and unused. Then the poor among your people may get food from it, and the wild animals may eat what is left. Do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove.”

Verse 12 reminded us of the Sabbath day, how the Israelites were to take the seventh day off as a day of rest, and renewal. And we made the point we need spiritual rest and renewal more than we need physical renewal. And remember too, God implemented this from creation, the Law of Moses just reinforced this idea of rest. But in addition to the day of rest, there was to be a year of rest of the land and for the people. We might wonder how in the world this is even possible, how can you simply not work the fields and expect to eat? Where is your food going to come from? What is going to happen to the land? How does this make any sense?

We need to remember the ways of God don’t always “make sense” from our perspective. God is not encouraging laziness or foolishness here. It would take planning to let your land lie fallow for a year. You would have to be disciplined to save and store up your food and provisions for that time. And what are you going to do during that year off? God said you don’t plow, you don’t sow, and you don’t harvest? So what do you do with that time? That is not told to us, but how about rest and recharge, as you do on the Sabbath day? How about taking some time to get to know God better. How about taking some time to get to know your neighbors better? How about doing some of the good things you say you know you need to do, but never seem to have the time?

What if you knew that six years from today, in 2030, you were going to have to take a year off from work. Wouldn’t you start planning for that today? Wouldn’t you start saving money, getting your house in good shape, making sure your cars would be in working order, and so forth. It is not like the seventh year came as a surprise to these folks.

And a key to this whole year of not plowing, planting, and harvesting would be to trust the Lord. It is easy for us to talk about our faith and commitment, but this would be putting it to the test, this would be living it out. We are sure when we go to work on Monday we are going to get paid that week, and that we can buy our groceries, pay our rent and utilities, and so forth. But what if we really had to rely on God for those things? The truth is, we should be anyway. But this would be a case of putting it into practice.

Father, help me realize my life is a gift from your hand. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Mike Caton is the preacher at Mount Olive Church of Christ in Belhaven. He volunteers at the Ponzer Fire Department and works as a full time AEMT with Hyde County EMS. If you would like to receive daily devotions in your inbox, email mikecaton@centurylink.net.

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