Labor Day

The Department of Labor's website describes Labor day as: "Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country." Most people have the day off, and enjoy it. Why? It is viewed as a day off from work or school. In a sense, it is a day of "rest" as one can leave behind the concerns and responsibilities of their job.

Despite the claim of the Dept. of Labor as to when Labor day was established, I would make the case it was established much earlier. Gen.2 says "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. ² And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. ³ So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation." Interesting, isn't it, that man comes up with a holiday to celebrate his accomplishments, when at last check, he hasn't created the world, the heavens, or anything in them?

In Matt. 11, Jesus says, Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Man looks for a release from his physical labor, but what does Jesus give? One should be careful not to take what Christ said as a promise of no pain or trials or problems, but rather a release from trying to earn God's favor and salvation with human works and legalistic requirements. If you think about it, there are a lot of people who have Monday off from "work", but are "working" very hard and not going anywhere in their relationship with God. There are others, who think that every day is a "labor day" when it comes to their relationship with God. Work, to them, is not really in their vocabulary.

In the book of Hebrews, one could get a good look at what "Labor Day" should be. 3:16: For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses?And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did he swear that ^lthey would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.

4 Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened. For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said,

“As I swore in my wrath,

‘They shall not enter my rest,’ ”

although his works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.” And again in this passage he said,

“They shall not enter my rest.”

Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience, again he appoints a certain day, “Today,” saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted,

“Today, if you hear his voice,

do not harden your hearts.”

For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.

Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

The warning is, don't be like the Israelites who failed to enter into the rest because of their unbelief. Verse 11 says to "strive" so that the same doesn't happen.

Luke 10 is true to us just as it was when Jesus sent out the disciples. He said “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest." So while labor day is a good day to enjoy off from work, it would be wise not to take it off spiritually. Christ said in John 6, "²⁷ Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you." What should we labor for then, if not for the things that perish?

A good plan would be the things that the church in Thessalonica was commended for. " We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ."

I hope you have an enjoyable labor day! Most of all though, I hope that none of us forget the only true source of rest, and the labor we are called to. There are many that we might come in contact with tomorrow that are either working really hard, but going in the wrong direction, and others that are in Christ but aren't working very hard for Him. My prayer is that we can all be examples of the truth and encouragers to those we come in contact with.

Blessings,

Josh

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Eph. 4:14-21