Remember when I mentioned starting with the basics, the Ten Commandments, in a previous post? Like I said before, there are some of those that I don't think I'm following as God intended them to be followed. I was really dropping the ball when it came to commandment #4. Can't remember which that one is? Don't worry, I had to Google it, too. It is:
"Remeber the sabbath day, to keep it holy."
Exodus 20:8
I remember the sabbath day. But keep it holy? Well, I go to church. But, again (like SO many things I read in the Bible), don't stop with what I call the "stuck-in-the-rut Bible verse" (I call it that because we mouth these verses off like they're the answer when there is SO much more). Keep reading:
Exodus 20:8
I remember the sabbath day. But keep it holy? Well, I go to church. But, again (like SO many things I read in the Bible), don't stop with what I call the "stuck-in-the-rut Bible verse" (I call it that because we mouth these verses off like they're the answer when there is SO much more). Keep reading:
"Six days you shall labor and do all your work,
but the seventh day is a sabbath of the Lord your God; in it
you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter,
your male or your female servant or your cattle or
your sojourner who stays with you. For in six days
the Lord made the heavens and the earth the sea and all
that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord
blessed the sabbath day and made it holy."
Exodus 20:9-11
I know some of you are saying, "Come on. Give me a break!" And, I have to admit I was just like that before I stopped to think about it. This isn't just a proverb, or an interesting interpretation by a disciple, IT IS A COMMANDMENT. It's up there with "Though shall not murder". That really stopped me in my tracks. This is serious.
Now, I can't define what work is for you (and I shouldn't try!). For some cooking a huge, tasty family meal requiring hours of your day is a joy and a break and for others it's a chore never to be touched on a day of rest. So you're going to have to figure that out for yourself. Be honest, though. This day was given to you to use for rest.
The second part is where I want to draw your attention. It tells us that our servant, family, and guest shouldn't do any work, either. I don't know about you, but I don't have a servant (although, what mom doesn't dream about having one!). What I do have are people that serve me when I'm out at stores, restaurants, etc. While times have changed since this was written, I don't think the message has. Don't make people that serve you work on the sabbath! Simple.
For the Maslowski Machine it means we don't eat out, go to the pool, go to the movies, go shopping, you name it, we're not doing it on Sunday. And, I've tried to break this a few times (after some amazing excuses, justified, of course) with horrible results. I feel that now that this has been shown to me, I no longer "get away" with picking up that one thing because it would be more convenient than waiting until Monday. On the other hand, it has given me the freedom to say, "I'm resting today! It can wait." And, I know it will all work out because this is how God has designed it for us. If we would just wait on Him...
but the seventh day is a sabbath of the Lord your God; in it
you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter,
your male or your female servant or your cattle or
your sojourner who stays with you. For in six days
the Lord made the heavens and the earth the sea and all
that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord
blessed the sabbath day and made it holy."
Exodus 20:9-11
I know some of you are saying, "Come on. Give me a break!" And, I have to admit I was just like that before I stopped to think about it. This isn't just a proverb, or an interesting interpretation by a disciple, IT IS A COMMANDMENT. It's up there with "Though shall not murder". That really stopped me in my tracks. This is serious.
Now, I can't define what work is for you (and I shouldn't try!). For some cooking a huge, tasty family meal requiring hours of your day is a joy and a break and for others it's a chore never to be touched on a day of rest. So you're going to have to figure that out for yourself. Be honest, though. This day was given to you to use for rest.
The second part is where I want to draw your attention. It tells us that our servant, family, and guest shouldn't do any work, either. I don't know about you, but I don't have a servant (although, what mom doesn't dream about having one!). What I do have are people that serve me when I'm out at stores, restaurants, etc. While times have changed since this was written, I don't think the message has. Don't make people that serve you work on the sabbath! Simple.
For the Maslowski Machine it means we don't eat out, go to the pool, go to the movies, go shopping, you name it, we're not doing it on Sunday. And, I've tried to break this a few times (after some amazing excuses, justified, of course) with horrible results. I feel that now that this has been shown to me, I no longer "get away" with picking up that one thing because it would be more convenient than waiting until Monday. On the other hand, it has given me the freedom to say, "I'm resting today! It can wait." And, I know it will all work out because this is how God has designed it for us. If we would just wait on Him...
