Week 1 Sunday — That First Easter... I Was There
Day 7: Sabbath Rest
Day 7: Sabbath Rest
Exodus 20:8-11
⁸ “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. ⁹ Six days you shall labor and do all your work, ¹⁰ but the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. ¹¹ For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.”
— Exodus 20:8-11 (NIV)
Reflection
This week we’ve been waiting. Listening. Responding. Following. Staying.
We’ve walked through four hundred years of silence and heard prophets speak uncomfortable truth. We’ve watched John step aside so Jesus could increase. We’ve met the faithful remnant who recognized the Messiah when He came. We’ve seen disciples drop their nets and follow before they understood. We’ve honored the women who stayed when everyone else ran.
Now we rest.
Not because the journey is over—we’re just getting started. Not because we’ve arrived—the cross is still ahead. But because God built rest into the rhythm of following Him. Six days of movement. One day of stillness. Not as reward for work completed, but as reminder that we are not defined by our productivity.
Rest is an act of trust. It says: “God doesn’t need me to hold the world together for the next 24 hours.”
Today, before Holy Week begins, before the intensity builds, before we walk toward the cross—pause. Breathe. Be still. Let God restore what the week has taken. Let Him prepare you for what’s coming.
You don’t have to produce anything today. You don’t have to prove anything. You don’t have to perform. Just be with Him.
Prayer Prompts
Take your time with these. Don’t rush. Pick a couple that resonate with you, or pray your own. There’s no hurry today.
For the Silence You’re Still Waiting In:
Lord, I’m still waiting for ___________. I confess it’s hard. But help me trust that You’re working even when I can’t see it. Give me faith to believe that Your timing is perfect, even when it feels impossibly slow.
For the Uncomfortable Truth You’ve Been Avoiding:
Jesus, show me what I’ve been editing out of Your Word because it doesn’t fit my preferences. Where am I constructing a comfortable version of You instead of embracing the real You? Give me courage to hear what You’re actually saying.
For What Needs to Decrease:
Father, what needs to become less in my life so You can become more? Is it my need to be seen? My need to be right? My need for control? Show me. And help me let go.
For Eyes to Recognize You:
Holy Spirit, I don’t want to miss You. Position my life—through prayer, worship, devotion, service—so that when You show up, I’m ready to see You. Don’t let me be so busy that I walk right past You.
For the Courage to Follow:
Jesus, I hear You calling me to ___________. I don’t fully understand it. I don’t have all the answers. But I want to trust You more than my own need for certainty. Help me step onto the water today.
For Strength to Stay:
Lord, following You is costing me ___________. I’m tempted to walk away. To protect myself. To find an easier path. But help me stay. Not because I see the outcome, but because I love You. Give me the faithfulness of the women who stayed.
For What’s Coming:
Father, the journey to the cross continues. We’re about to walk with crowds who turn on Jesus, religious leaders who protect their positions, disciples focused on themselves. Prepare my heart. Help me not rush past the hard parts to get to resurrection Sunday. Let me sit with the suffering, the betrayal, the darkness—because that’s where I see how much You love me.
Practices for Today
Choose one or more of these to practice Sabbath rest:
Silence — Set aside 20-30 minutes to sit in complete silence. No phone. No music. No agenda. Just you and God. Let Him speak. Let Him restore.
Walk — Take a slow walk outside. No earbuds. No destination. Just notice creation. Thank God for what you see. Let the rhythm of walking quiet your mind.
Worship — Put on music that centers your heart on Jesus. Sing. Or just listen. Let worship reorient you toward what’s true.
Fast from Screens — Turn off your phone for the rest of the day. Let go of the noise, the news, the notifications. Experience what it feels like to be unreachable for a few hours.
Sleep — If you’re exhausted, take a nap. Sleep is a gift. Rest is obedience. Your body and soul need it.
Rest well today. The journey to the cross continues tomorrow.
To read all the posts in this devotional series, visit: That First Easter... I Was There
© Steve Peschke / This Is The Way