Keeping the Lord’s Day Holy

Keeping the Lord’s Day Holy

How often have you wished you had more time for the important things, like family and reflection? Bookstore shelves bulge with materials that tell you how to organize your life, but many of the sources miss an important aspect of time management.

There is a lot of talk in the US about posting the Ten Commandments in schools and government buildings. Few would argue against adhering to the instructions forbidding murder or stealing. Keeping these laws of God surely would bring a blessing to everyone. But in the debate one commandment is almost always forgotten. In fact its relevance is often debated even among those who promote keeping the Ten Commandments.

This makes the biblical introduction to the fourth commandment all the more potent. “Remember the Sabbath Day….”! It’s as if   this commandment is the easiest for humans to trivialize or overlook   ignore entirely.

The Fourth Commandment states; “Remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God….” Ex 20:8-10

Physical , emotional and spiritual rest are human needs. To ignore these is to sow the seeds of anxiety, illness, lethargy and depression.

Imagine a day devoted to rest and worship-no business calls, no painting the house, no lawn chores to attend to. Imagine a day with extra time to share with your family, without the deadlines and pressing appointments of the rest of the week. Even television shows with intense sound tracks and graphic scenes can leave our minds and even bodies exhausted. Imagine a day when you can shut out the noise, the violence, the preoccupation with making money…..and experience peace.

Jesus says, “Come unto me all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” A little time later in the same account he  explains, “For the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” The Sabbath is a time to experience rest for the body and mind and renew our relationship with God and His Son.

For some it may be daunting to think of spiritual rest dedicated to reflection on our need for God and to think about what is important in life. Sometimes it is easier to fill each waking moment with career, house, car or entertainment than to deal with our own nature. It’s easier , that is, until the results in broken relationships, emotional breakdown, and spiritual emptiness take their toll.

The Sabbath, that is, the Lord’s Day, isn’t intended to be a day of idleness. It is a time to gather with other Christians for worship. It is a time to reconnect with family and friends. It is a day for physical, emotional and spiritual renewal. Plan it carefully!