Remember your umbrella to stay dry...

Yesterday the boys had games at 5:00 and 6:30, and overall the night went great. They played well. We won. Even the refs did a pretty good job for the most part.

The only issue was that it rained the entire time.

Thankfully, rain was in the forecast, so I came prepared. I had a quarter-zip, hooded jacket, poncho, stadium seat, and umbrella. I was one pair of waterproof pants away from looking like I had been hired by the Weather Channel.

And honestly, the umbrella was the game changer.

As long as I stayed under it, I was fine. I stayed dry, my glasses stayed clear, and I could actually enjoy watching the boys play. Without it, that cold rain would have gotten old very quickly. And as much as I LOVE watching our kids play sports, there is definitely a point where love says, I believe in you...from the heated car.

When it comes to rain, there are certain preparations that make it enjoyable, and when it comes to life, the same is true. Our sermon text from Luke 6:1-11 is about the Sabbath and why God designed Sabbath because He knows the conditions we live in.

Life can be relentless with work, emails, schedules, problems, and annoyances. Sabbath does not make any of that disappear. However, Sabbath does create intentional space where we stop, rest, trust God, enjoy His gifts, and remember that the world keeps turning even when we are not the ones holding it together.

God had given Sabbath as a gift, but the religious leaders had slowly turned the gift into a rulebook. They became so focused on protecting the Sabbath that when the Lord of the Sabbath stood right in front of them, they almost missed Him. Religion can keep the rules and still miss the heart of God.

This Sunday we are going to look at why God designed us for Sabbath, why Jesus has the authority to define it, and how we can practice Sabbath in a way that strengthens our relationship with God instead of turning it into one more thing we have to perform perfectly.

I sure hope to see you on Sunday at 8:00, 9:15 (Full KidCity available), or 10:45 am (Full KidCity available)…OR a service in Spanish at 1:00 pm. Otherwise, you can watch the Livestream on YouTube (Like and subscribe) or on our New Life website at 9:15 am. Also, we would LOVE for you to follow us on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. 

And don’t worry about an umbrella for Sunday, the weather is going to be nearly perfect,

Troy