Soul Scientist

Exodus 23:10-12 ESV “For six years you shall sow your land and gather in its yield,but the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, that the poor of your people may eat; and what they leave the beasts of the field may eat. You shall do likewise with your vineyard, and with your olive orchard.Six days you shall do your work, but on the seventh day you shall rest; that your ox and your donkey may have rest, and the son of your servant woman, and the alien, may be refreshed.”

God commanded the Israelites to give the soil a Sabbath every seven years. Sabbath means a choosing “to sit still” and rest in the Presence of God. Yet as seen in those verses and in science, the soil was experiencing active rest. It was meeting needs in growth and grace all seven years. Six years of nourishing the farmers and their families; one year of nourishing the poor. The soil never shut down or wasn’t being used by God for helping someone. And the knowledge of that truth gives this soil scientist the courage to trust God that He will use me in rest and the strength of His grace to meet another’s need.

The seventh-year Sabbath for the soil was essential for proper nutrient cycling, micro- and macro- organism populations, organic matter levels, and pest control. The seventh-day Sabbath for the Israelite’s souls was essential for proper perspective in knowing God, micro- and macro-obedience, relationships with God and others, and sin control. So if such rest was necessary in the days before high-production and profit agriculture and social media and shopping, how much more essential is such rest for me for today?

No exceptions or exemptions were given with this command. No people were overlooked or ignored with that command. The needs of the poor were provided for by God through the obedience of others to Him. The same can be said of us who are poor in spirit or mourn from living under the weight of suffering today (see Matthew 5:3-4). God will meet our needs as He’s promised (see Philippians 4:19). Many times, He uses the obedience of others to meet our needs while we are doing the work of active rest.

For example, has someone offered to bring you a meal, pick up groceries, come to visit, help with chores, or ___________? But you’ve refused because you didn’t want to be a burden, felt self-conscious, unworthy, or __________. If so, then you could’ve denied this person the opportunity for obedience. His or her life might be the very soil supposed to supply your needs in this Sabbath set in suffering. Conversely, your receiving of their service might be the soil in which joy springs forth for his or her growth in grace and faith. And that joy might be a source of strength for them in a suffering that no one knows about except our Good God (see Nehemiah 9:10). For isn’t that how God works? For there in the giving, He is glorified while all are graced.

Please share a story with us in the comments sections about how someone has helped you through a challenging time. And while you’re writing the story, please consider how you can help someone in your life today in his or her challenging time.

This was another excerpt from the Nevertheless: Finding hope in suffering project. Stay tuned here to the blog for information about what’s coming with the project.

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written by and copyrighted to Beth Madison, Ph.D., 2023