"God doesn't want anyone to perish, so even before Adam and Eve broke their connection with Him, God had devised a plan by which He could reconcile His estranged creations to Himself. Part of the plan involved a Substitute who would care for the sins of humanity by dying in our place. That Substitute was Jesus, the Second Person of the Godhead.
"However, God knew that the wall of separation would be difficult for man to penetrate, even after receiving Jesus' gracious sacrifice. So God provided special methods we could use in order to restore the intimacy we once enjoyed [in the Garden of Eden]. These ancient practices are simple things, such as prayer, worship, Bible study, praise, and many more. Each of these practices was designed to help those who have been redeemed by Christ's sacrifice to enjoy an experience of personal closeness with God. They can help us bridge the gap between God and ourselves that our rebellion has caused.
"God understood that it would be easy for us to become so involved with the daily grind of earning a living and raising a family that we would let these things crowd Him out of our lives. He knew that as we became busy with all kinds of things --even good and necessary things--we could neglect the one thing that is essential to life. We could neglect spending meaningful time with God.
"In order to protect against this, God gave us a very special gift. He called that gift 'Sabbath'. Sabbath is a twenty-four-hour period of time designed to let us experience intimate interaction with God. It is a time when we step back from our work and the ordinary cares of daily living to focus exclusively on the relationship [with God] that renews and restores us. It is a time for rest, worship, praise, joy, and celebration.
This book is available for purchase at: http://www.adventistbookcenter.com/a-time-for-you.html
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