A Sunday meditation #1

Today is Sunday. More importantly, it is the Sabbath. Over time, my mind has changed about how to spend this day. Long ago, I used to treat is as a play day or a work day. A day for my own self to DO WHAT I WANT TO DO. Then as an adult and a growing Christian, the fourth commandment started giving me some problems. The word of God will do that to you. It’s not an easy book. Oh, the commandments are easy enough to understand – just difficult to obey. I started wondering, how is it that commandments 1-3 and 5-10 say what they mean and mean what they say, but commandment 4 is somehow different? I would rationalize that it was not a concrete command like the other ones. After all, isn’t a Christian supposed to live every day unto the Lord? Is Sunday supposed to be any different to any other day of the week? I thought long and hard about that. I kept going back to Exodus 20:1-17 to see if I could in good conscience interpret verses 8-11 any other way than literally. Of course, I don’t have cattle (at present) or male or female servants, but I knew that the essence of the command transcended those details, and I wanted to understand it so that I could obey it. Looking at the fourth commandment in context, I firmly believed that the Lord didn’t want me to make an idol – that would be very wrong. I also knew that the Lord didn’t want me to murder or steal or lie. So why did I waver so much on the issue of one day in seven to be set aside in a special way for the Lord? Those other commandments had not lost their direct application over time so how could I conclude that #4 had?

I finally couldn’t make that assumption any more. There was a quiet change that came over me. I didn’t make a big deal out of it; I just started making different choices on that day. Actually, I started making different choices on Saturday, too. I would try to get more organized on Saturday so I wouldn’t have to do so much everyday chores on Sunday. And on Sunday, I would try to put work off until Monday. I would also read my bible or a devotional book instead of doing some form of recreation.

Now I talk to others on Sunday about the things of God which is a great use of the time. I also like to visit about everyday things, because I don’t think God’s law intends Sunday to be a lonely day. The Lord’s day is a good day to concern myself with the cares and joys of others. I’m sure I still have a lot to learn about this, but then again, life is for learning, isn’t it?

I’m writing this blog as my way of meditating on God’s word this very special day. I hope you’re having a blessed Sabbath!