Keep the Sabbath Holy

I was struck by two thoughts when reading Luke 6. 

First, when Jesus was questioned or challenged, he often replied with scripture. Especially with the Pharisees who prided themselves on their knowledge of scripture, but they struggled with making God’s Word beneficial to everyday life. Knowledge of scripture should help us enjoy our relationship with God in practical ways. Knowing the scripture for personal growth in our relationship with God is important, but using it to help others in their relationships may be even more important. 

The second thought was about observation of the Sabbath. Today in our culture, Sundays / Sabbaths are often so busy that I struggle with how much of it am I dedicating to God versus the busy world? I realize that my relationship with God is daily, but even Sunday mornings I find myself tempted to do errands or yard work.  What kind of example am I setting for others? Also, am I more interested in what others think than how God himself responds?

Sundays as a “day of rest” may be viewed by many as being free to do whatever we want, but I have to ask myself “Is my Sunday dedicated to God or my personal desires and our culture’s busy traits?” Jesus told his disciples, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27). However, only Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath, “The Son of Man is the Lord of the Sabbath” (Luke 6:5). We should reflect on Deuteronomy 5:12, “Observe the Sabbath by keeping it holy.”  Maybe God would appreciate us going back to this commandment and rethinking our approach to observing the Sabbath.