Re-member our Fractured Sabbath

Leviticus 23:3-8, “Six days shall work be done; but the seventh day is a Sabbath of complete rest, a holy convocation; you shall do no work: it is a Sabbath to the LORD throughout your settlements. These are the appointed festivals of the LORD, the holy convocations, which you shall celebrate at the time appointed for them. In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, at twilight, there shall be a Passover offering to the LORD, and on the fifteenth day of the same month is the festival of unleavened bread to the LORD; seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall have a holy convocation; you shall not work at your occupations. For seven days you shall present the LORD’S offerings by fire; on the seventh day there shall be a holy convocation: you shall not work at your occupations.”

God has given us six days to complete our labor and the seventh day is devoted to God’s worship. We are not to be distracted in our worship and attention to what God has done for us. Notice also from the Levitical Code that there are specific Holy Days or Holidays that retain the same sanctity as Sabbath. If we cause someone else to work on Sabbath then we have sinned. Sunday dinners in our home growing up were a huge part of worship. Mom had most of the work done the night before. The main meat baked while we were at church. Today’s world simply goes out to lunch. Down south the Methodists are always trying to beat the Baptists out of worship to get in line at the Golden Corral or some other buffet-style or cafeteria setting. Sunday dinners after worship conclude with family members going their separate ways. STOP. Rewind. Now restart our Sabbath in Jesus’ Name.

Prayer: Loving God, thank you for this day of Sabbath rest. Thank you for Jesus Christ. Guide us this day into reclaiming our Sabbath heritage – please help us re-member our fractured past. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen.