A Sabbath or THE Sabbath?

Greetings to you on this Lord’s Day.

I’m writing this in my office where all is quiet as I’m the only one here.  For me, Sunday is a wonderful day of celebrating the Resurrection of my Lord and then beginning my work week.  Thus the day combines both of my worlds – the spiritual and the physical.

“What about my Sabbath?” you might ask.

For me, the Sabbath is exactly when God said it was – the seventh day of the week.  AND  I observe it exactly as the Lord commanded – doing no work, resting and making it a hallowed (sacred day.)

I’ve been thinking about the N.T. description of this day as “The Lord’s Day” and how over the years it  has become “the”  Sabbath.  Strange how we can change God’s Word and way to accommodate our lives and traditions.

Celebrating the Resurrection is, without doubt, one of the greatest joys of my life.  If Christ had not risen, then my faith would be meaningless.  Furthermore, celebrating the wonder of  the Resurrection with my brothers and sisters of the Spirit is even more joyous.

But does the fact that the first day of the week is called ‘the Lord’s Day” change what God calls HIS Sabbath?  Also interesting is that the first day of the week was named “Sunday” by a man who worshiped the sun!

Consider that there might be a difference between “a” sabbath and “the” Sabbath.

In Leviticus 23, God commands that the beginning and the end of His feasts are to be considered a sabbath upon which the people were to do no customary work and generally have a solemn assembly.

These sabbaths were different from His Sabbath – when we were to do NO work at all.

Perhaps this is a good model for us all.  Sunday, Monday or any of the other days could be taken as a personal sabbath.  Certainly in our hectic life schedules we NEED at least one day of the week in which we do NOTHING.  Maybe we choose to sleep late and not even get dressed.  Maybe we choose to make a special breakfast and eat leisurely surrounded by our families.  Maybe we choose to read a good book and take a long walk.  Whatever we choose, it’s different from the rest of the week and WITHOUT STRESS or SCHEDULES.

Sound like a dream?  It’s what God intended for the Sabbath.

Why not have the best of both worlds?  Take the gift of the Sabbath when it was intended – the last day of the week – and celebrate the Resurrection of the Lord on the day He rose – the first day of the week!

 

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