Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Exodus 20:8

Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy...

What do Sundays look like at your house?  If they're anything like mine, they start with chaos - waking everybody up, ironing clothes, yelling at the child who's not up yet, running around trying to find shoes that match, threatening the child who's still not up...And after church, a rush to make the lunch that I had spent part of the sermon time trying to decide on, followed by laundry, errands, nagging the kids to do homework, and whatever else needs to get done before Monday gets here.

We often say there's just not enough time.  Truth is, there is.  We're all given the same amount of time.  How we use it is the issue.  Wouldn't it be nice to have a day once in awhile to just sit and enjoy our families?  To play games, go for a walk, take a nap (seriously - Sunday afternoon naps are the best!), read a book?  We all wish for days like that.  God gives them to us, and not just once in awhile.  Once a week!

How much more pleasant would our homes and families be if we spent a little extra effort on Saturday finishing up those tasks?  If we set out our clothes for Sunday morning and made Sunday dinner so that all we'd have to do is pop it in the microwave and then sit down at the already set table?  If we used paper plates so we wouldn't even have to do dishes?  A day every week to relax, reflect, and spend some extra time with God? 

Some people say that the idea of a Sabbath is an Old Testament thing.  Do we say that about the other nine Commandments?  This is not a suggestion that God made - it's a command.  And just as we might tell a toddler that they have to take a nap because we know it's good for them, God knew this would be good for us. 

Plan ahead a bit (it's not that hard once you get into the habit of it) and start honoring the Sabbath.  It truly is a blessing.

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