It is clear from the repetition that rest (sabbath rest) is important, and indeed as the Jews reflected on their history after the exile, it was seen that the disobedience to these commands was their downfall.

But we do not live according to the old dispensation, but to the new, and the regulations should be re-interpreted according to the saving grace of our Lord. The concept of the Shabbat or the Sabbath is a difficult one, because it has always been seen as the province of regulation. Not only did the strict Pharisaic Jews have their own regulations, but also many Christian groups have done the same. The reformation in its severest form led to the expression of Christianity in its most Joyless form. When in Scotland we were warned that if we wished to visit some of the outer islands, that we would not be able to do so on a Sunday.

Indeed most of our English Culture with regard to Sunday has come from the puritan times, whether it be to do with shop trading or hotels opening or playing of sport.

Sadly this has not been the best for religion. Now with the increase of european and american influence on our society, people are saying why not, and in a post-christian society, there really is no reason. Although I am one who believes in keeping Sunday special, the actions of doing this have reduced our faith to a one day observance and detached it from work and the working week.

This was not so in the early Christian times, they met daily at or before dawn. But this came about when Constantine legislated the Sunday as a day of rest.

The Shabbat, or Sabbath or Day of Rest however is not to be seen as a day of idleness. Shalom - usually translated as Peace is not merely the absence of war but rather the positive peace of God. Similarly, Shabbat is not idleness or the absence of work, but the positive presence of God.

Rest in the Old Testament terms cannot be separated from the centrality of the presence of God. Rest then is about refocusing from Work to God (Not in terms of idleness, but in terms of Activity). Rest then as Jesus describes it is not about a day off, but rather the daily experience of God's presence and a daily focus on him. Jesus adds my Yoke is easy and my Burden is light, which are both images of work but in particular - shared work.

And this is the secret. It is not in our gathering that there should be rest, but rather in our gathering that we are drawn into to the presence of God. Each of us should take that time to specially focus on God, whether in the Daily Prayers of the church or your own particular quiet time. But our rest comes in our working alongside our Saviour.

So rather than focusing on the Sunday observance, perhaps we should look to how much we are inviting Jesus into our lives. Are we working in harmony with him in all that we say and do? Is he part of our daily life, yours and mine? Life is a battle, but our saviour has promised that he will be with us (if we choose). Rest is a gift from God, but we often refuse and try to do it on our own. In that we are burdened and so refuse the rest, but what a difference it can be if we take up his yoke, share his work and enjoy his rest.

Are you feeling burdened - Come to Jesus, he is offering Rest.

AMEN.