Wednesday; September 1

You would think that if there was a stalwart in religion, it would be the Ten Commandments. After all, this iconic section of Scripture has become larger than merely being a set of verses in the Old Testament – it has become one of the best known and most loved sections of text in all of literature. Yet, even though it has endured thousands of years of use (and sometimes abuse) it isn’t without some debate. One of the sections of Scripture that is often discussed is the commandment, “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.” (Exodus 20:8). Some modern religious beliefs translate this to mean that worship should be conducted on Saturday (the last day of the week) while others have applied this concept to how Sunday is to be approached in Christianity. Some people believe that since this ordinance is not repeated in the New Testament, it is not applicable to godly people today. Our space doesn’t provide us with the room to fully discuss this issue, but I do believe that no matter where we stand on our understanding of this commandment, it reminds us of a couple of needs humans have. First, we must protect against becoming so busy that we don’t get the rest we need. If God felt it was good idea for Him to have a day of rest after creating the world, it is a good practice for us. Secondly, according to Moses review of the Ten Commandments in Deuteronomy, the Sabbath was a good reminder of the role that God played in delivering the Israelites from Egyptian Captivity. In other words, while resting, it was a good to reflect.

I am not sure that the Sabbath has the allure in Christianity that it had under the Law of Moses, but I do believe that we can learn from its principle. We need to rest and we need to reflect. Let’s schedule a time to remember God’s influence on us – when we do, we will strengthen the relationship we have with Him.

Think About It!

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