Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. (Exodus 20:8 NIV)
What can this commandment mean for us today? ...today in a world where life and work and activities go on 24/7? If both spouses work away from home all week, doesn't the house need attention all weekend? If our "Sabbath rest" is to include not cooking, doesn't our going out to eat mean that we force others to have to work on the Sabbath? And do we really want to put others out of work by having all church-going Christians not patronize restaurants and stores on Sunday? So what is this commandment about? What is the heart of it?
I see people today and the frantic-ness of their lives. There just aren't enough hours in the day to earn a living, spend time with the kids, keep the house at least livable, and catch 4 or 5 hours of sleep before starting it all over again. Do you ever stop to wonder if it all makes sense? Our struggle to live is so all-consuming that we don't have time to do any real living.
I think this commandment is about taking time to realize that the world can, and does, go on without us. I think it is about hearing God say that we are valuable to him, not because of what we do, but because of who we are. Keeping the day holy is about reconnecting with our Source and reenergizing for another six days.
Sometimes it can't be Sunday. But we need to set aside a day to be free from the world and its expectations. Sometimes it can't be at church, but we need to take time to reconnect and reenergize our spirits. We need worship and Bible study and prayer. We need to sit down and breathe.
Of all the rules and laws that can be found in the Old Testament, God set aside 10 as the most important. We don't usually treat this commandment as one of the top 10. Certainly it is not as important as "do not murder" or "do not commit adultry." Or is it....?
Father,
Help us to understand the importance of this commandment so that our lives will ultimately be more abundant. Help us to rest, and not feel guilty about it. Amen.
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