True Sabbath rest found in Jesus

Shalom.

A fascinating experience for us GAFCON pilgrims here in Jerusalem has been shabbat.

This Jewish observance of the Sabbath requires no work being undertaken from sunset on Friday until sunset on Saturday. Apart from the basic pre-prepared breakfast on Saturday morning served by a skeleton staff of arabs it has affected each of us in different ways.

In one hotel all the lifts are turned off, making the trip to the 10th floor unbearable. Our smart hotel has a Sabbath lift that is ingeniously programmed to automatically stop & open its doors at each floor for the whole 24hour period - again a slow trip if your room is many floors away but it means Jews will not sin by pressing the lift buttons.

Our room neighbour, Kanishka from Perth, found room service would not make him a hot chocolate but could serve him a cup of tea. So complicated are the Jewish rules that it would take us a lifetime to understand them. A sign at the entrance to the Western Wall was necessary to assure Jews that passing through the security metal detector during shabbat is permissible.

Our experience here has helped us see afresh what Jesus meant when he said “come unto me and I will give you rest”.

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