The Bible is full of talk about the Sabbath, a day set aside from work in order to rest and enjoy God and His gifts. While our modern day sensibilities lead us away from any robust conception of a day without work, in the days of Jesus the Sabbath was taken very seriously.
Taking too many steps counted as work and would violate the Sabbath. Preparing food was a no-no. Lifting practically anything had to wait until the next day.
It got to a point that parsing the legalities of "work" ended up robbing the Sabbath of its life-giving intent. So when Jesus and his disciples act in ways that violate the rules of Sabbath, it becomes a teachable moment for Jesus to remind people about the heart of the Sabbath.
Deuteronomy 5:12-15
Psalm 81:1-10
2 Corinthians 4:5-12
Mark 2:23-3:6
My prayer for us: Lord of the Sabbath, we may not be as strict about this day as they were in days past, but there are no shortage of "rules" we lay out for Christian living. As we do, help us hold to Your heart for us that is rooted in relationship with you. And where "rules" have compromised that relationship, give us the faith and courage to let them fall away so that we might get back to You. In Your name and in the power of Your Spirit, I pray. Amen.
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