As many of you have probably seen, I don’t post on Sundays. This is not a personal conviction, but more of a matter of convenience. Sunday is my one day of true rest, a day of no school. But, because this isn’t a matter of conviction, I would, under the right circumstances, post on a Sunday.

However, God’s word is pretty clear on this subject. When a new Christian begins to read the Bible, they often start in Genesis. There, while reading the Creation story, one of the first things that stands out is God’s day of rest. Genesis 2:1-3 gives the account of this story.

Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. ² And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. ³ So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.

Some people read this verse and take it too far. They claim that the Sabbath day is so holy, we shouldn’t do an ounce of work on that particular day. The Rabbis of old, for example, mistakenly believed this. So, instead of reading into this too much, we must instead think about it in a realistic way.

Today, we don’t know if the day that God rested on was actually Sunday. I mean, for all we know, it could be Monday. If so, the day universally detested is actually God’s day. But, instead of looking for the Sabbath within a human context, we should seek to use the Bible to understand it’s Maker and His day.

When we set aside a day just for God, He notices. After all, that’s why we have the fourth Commandments, as set in Exodus 20.

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. ⁹ Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, ¹⁰ but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. ¹¹ For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

The verse tells us that we can labor for sixth days, but we are to cherish the seventh day, keeping it reserved for God. Then it tells us that because God rested on that day, it has been blessed by Him (see verse 11). The Sabbath day isn’t just a day reserved for God, it’s a day blessed by Him.

Well, obviously that means it couldn’t be Monday. Monday is the only day that is probably cursed. However, Sunday is the day traditionally recognized, and we shall keep it that way.

How, then, should we celebrate the Sabbath? I personally celebrate the day by not doing school or blog work, but that doesn’t mean that everybody should emulate this. I’m just a normal dude. Well, as normal as a Missionary Kid in Africa can get. Anyway, is there anything specific in the Bible about this topic?

Psalm 46:10 is the first verse to address this.

Be still, and know that I am God.

As the Psalmist says, there is a time to be still and reflect on God. While this verse isn’t very clear on which day to “be still”, Ezekiel 20:19 sheds a little light on this subject.

I am the Lord your God; follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. Keep my Sabbaths holy, that they may be a sign between us. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.

If you look closely, you will see the similarity between these verses. Both verses end the same way- knowing that He is God. Obviously, there is a link between the Sabbath and being still.

So, if indeed we are to follow this principle, what must we do? What does it mean to be still? Actually, if we look into the first verse a little more, we see that “being still” is comparative to the word Selah, often found in the book of Psalms. Selah, which means “stop and reflect”, is usually found after a large number of deep verses, and is often given when the writer believes the reader should take a minute to reflect on what he/she has learned.

On Sunday, our focus should be on stopping and reflecting. Instead of focusing on the rest itself, remember to keep your attention on God. If we want to truly honor God’s command and keep the Sabbath holy, we must keep the definition of Selah in mind as we go about the day. And don’t forget to thank Him for creating an awesome day! If you go to the same church as me (back in the USA), you can occasionally get free doughnuts on Sunday! I mean, how cool is that? Praise God!

Alright, that’s all for today. Guys, thanks so much for reading. Your support means a ton to me. If it’s not too much trouble, make sure to click that Follow button on the right-hand corner of the screen (or bottom if you’re on a phone). That way, you won’t miss out on any new posts. Thanks again, and I hope you have a wonderful day!

 

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All scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. All rights reserved.