October 2020

For many years, I went back and forth of how to honor the Lord on the Sabbath.  I wasn’t brought up knowing or wanting to please the Lord and I didn’t have an example.   After committing my life to the Lord, when I would read about the Sabbath in the Bible, I wanted to do it in a way to please the Lord. 

The Old Testament talked about the strict keeping of the Sabbath laws:  “You don’t cook or gather food. (Exodus 16:20) You don’t do ordinary work. Your children or servants don’t work. (Ex. 20:10 ) You don’t even light a fire. (Ex 35:3) If you don’t keep the Sabbath, you were to be put to death. (Ex 31:15).”  I remember in my childhood, the stores were not even open on Sunday.  People were to plan ahead to avoid any work on the Sabbath. (The majority of Americans considered the Sabbath to be Sunday.)

On the other hand, in the New Testament, Jesus wasn’t legalistic about keeping the Sabbath. He came down hard on the religious leaders for being hypocrites and condemning people not honoring the Sabbath.  So my family sought to honor the Lord/Sabbath by going regularly to church.  However, I taught Sunday School and even that would be ‘work’ at times. I prepared meals as well. We clearly would do less work but totally eliminate it?   No. I would have been ‘put to death’.  It took quite a while to come to a place of peace about it and this ‘word’ helped a lot.  It is one of the conversations I look forward to having as a face-to-face with Jesus ‘Some fine morning when this life is over!!’ (Gospel Song: “I’ll Fly Away”)

From the journal . . . . June 2011

I had been reading in the Bible and Colossians 2 grabbed my attention. . . .

Col. 2:7  Let your roots grow deep into Him. (Always a good thing!)

Col 2: 16 So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. 

Hmm.   No one is to condemn me and I can’t condemn anyone concerning the Sabbath.  Okay, I’m good with that, but Lord, I want to please You concerning the Sabbath.

And I Believe God Said:

What do you think I want you to do on the Sabbath?

You want me to rest.

Why?

Because You love me and you want me to cease striving.

Yes.  It isn’t meant to be a big sacrifice you are making for Me.  It’s meant as a gift to you to receive from Me.  I’ll take care of the rest.

Exodus 16:29. Mark 2:27

Chuckle.  How sweet You are!  And how Great Your love is! Thank You Lord.