God's Sabbath

O UR N EED FOR THE S ABBATH

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effective the Sabbath will become to us. We will be able to relate more closely with our heavenly Father and thus prove to be a valuable witness of His wisdom and love.

Unlimited Potential

The reasons for the indispensable presence of the Sabbath are found in the character of God and the perfect plan of creation. God is infinite, unchangeable love, so there is no trace of self ishness in Him (see 1John 4:8–16). Everything He does is for the good of others and He is not in the least concerned about His authority and kingship, except when the rejection of Him in that role brings separation and death to any of His subjects. Any re gard He has for His position is for the sake of His people, not Himself. Therefore it is written: “... if you do not oppress the alien, the fatherless or the wid ow and do not shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not follow other gods to your own harm...” Jeremiah 7:6. The Lord’s infinite love and wisdom was satisfied with nothing less than the very best for those whom He had created. His love demanded it, His wisdom conceived it, and His power produced it. Thus there was bestowed on humankind the wonderful gifts of life, a home, all the necessary powers by which to operate, the laws to guide and safeguard in the use of these mighty forces, and perfect freedom to either serve or disobey God as each might choose from moment to moment. No one could ask for more than this, and there was nothing better that the Creator could give. Once God had instated the holy couple in Eden, He could have very easily designed things so that they had nothing to do. Each day, food could have been placed before them without any ex penditure of effort on their part. The Garden could have been structured so that it needed no care at all. Human beings could have been given an existence of total idleness and ease. But this was not the best that limitless love and wisdom could provide. God did far better than that. He supplied us with infi nite opportunities for achievement and development. Inexhaust ible mines of information on all the sciences were buried within our reach, offering us research projects that not even eternity