his week we will look more at the rest God has given us in the Sabbath commandment and why it’s important.

Who can imagine what the acts of creation — light amid the darkness, oceans brimming with life, birds suddenly taking flight — must have been like? And the supernatural creation of Adam and Eve? We can’t even begin to grasp how God did it. During this week, we will study God’s wonderful invitation to enter into a dynamic rest, again and again, with every seventh day.

This week, we look at two very different examples of healing. In the one, the sufferer was so ill that he could not even come to Jesus on his own. His symptoms were clearly visible to everyone. In the other case, there were no obvious visible symptoms. In both cases, healing came in God’s time and way. As we explore the topic of rest from pain and suffering, we will also contemplate the question that all of us, at some point or another in our Christian walk, have experienced. And what happens when our prayers for healing aren’t answered?

This week we will look at forgiveness and what it can do for restless human hearts. Why does Jesus take abuse or neglect of others so personally? Read Matthew 25:41-46. What are some biblical principles that you need to apply to whatever difficult family relationships you are now experiencing?

Family relationships are often complicated and painful, leaving us restless, hurt, and carrying loads of emotional baggage that we, in turn, off-load on others. How can we find God’s rest in this area of our lives? This week we turn to the story of Joseph and his family ties in order to watch God at work bringing healing and emotional rest despite dysfunctional family relationships.