“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work,
but the seventh day is a sabbath of the Lord your God;
in it you shall not do any work…” Exodus 20:8‐10a

The Sabbath is being observed less and less with the passing of each century in the United States. In colonial days, the colonists enacted the first “blue law”, which used the militia to enforce church attendance. (If you think that’s extreme, consider the Old Testament punishment for working on the Sabbath in Exodus 31:14‐15.) Many other “blue laws” followed over the next 400 years. These laws prohibited certain activities (especially retail sales) in an attempt to make people spend time in church and rest, rather than working on Sundays. According to Wikipedia, most of these laws have now been repealed. But why did our forefathers put such a special emphasis on Sunday in the first place?

In the 10 Commandments, we are commanded to “remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy” and “in it you shall not do any work” (Exodus 20:8, 9). Many Christians live their lives at an unsustainable pace with nary an empty square on their calendars. God knows we all need down‐time in a world that constantly invites us to overcommit, so He gave us a great gift to refresh us, the Sabbath.

Balancing Life’s Demands

“‘You shall surely observe My sabbaths; for this is a sign between Me and you
throughout your generations…as a perpetual covenant.’
It is a sign between Me and the sons of Israel forever; for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth,
but on the seventh day He ceased from labor, and was refreshed.” Exodus 31:13b, 16b‐17

In a world that seems to necessitate not just hard work, but workaholism, meals‐on‐the‐go, and a constant flow of media, it can be difficult to realize when you’re stretched too thin. At some point, we need a break from the noise, a retreat to “recharge our batteries”. If we’re not careful, our emotional or physical health will throw us a warning sign that we need some boundaries, and the sooner the better! Also, our marriages and families need time together to reconnect. Thankfully God directed us to a better way of life, one that is not dictated by the priorities of our culture.

My wife recently read the book 10 Smart Things Women Can Do To Build A Better Life. The author, Donna Carter, says the Sabbath is “a commandment designed to make us more effective and available to the people around us and to help us build better lives.” It may seem illogical that taking a day off can make you more productive. You might be thinking, “I’ll just get more behind on _______ (fill in the blank) if I take a day off each week.” However, every step of obedience also requires a step of faith. We must believe that God, as our Creator, knows what is best for us. Carter also says, “We experience life like someone watching a parade. We see one event at a time with no idea of what is coming around the bend…[God] is in a much better position to judge what is best for you and for me.”

Our Response

“I just continue to believe that if God is able to make 90 percent of a tithing person’s
salary go further than 100 percent, He is able to make six days better than seven.”
~David Green, owner of Hobby Lobby (which closes on Sundays)

In Judaism, the Shabbat (Hebrew for rest, a.k.a. the Sabbath) is the last day of the week and the most important holy day on their calendar. Unfortunately they have overshadowed it with legalism, creating 39 categories of work that are forbidden on this holy day. As Believers, we have the blood of Christ covering our sins so the Law has been fulfilled (Matt. 5:17‐19) and we are no longer slaves to the Law. Observing the Lord’s day should not cause quarrels over what is or is not allowed (Rom. 14:1‐6). Rather, as with all of God’s commands, we should focus on obedience in our hearts, not only with our outward actions.

It is critical to understand why God gives us boundaries. God is love, which means He wants to protect us from harm. Once we make this connection, we will see the Sabbath as a blessing rather than a burden (1 John 5:3). It may take some time to readjust your priorities, but don’t get discouraged. In the end, the things that you give up to observe this day of rest may not seem so significant after all.

Digging Deeper

“Oh that they had such a heart in them, that they would fear Me and keep all My commandments always,
that it may be well with them and with their sons forever!” Deut. 5:29

From the time of Moses to the New Church, the Bible has many examples of people who observed the Sabbath and were blessed, or failed to keep the Sabbath and were punished.

Take some time to look up the following passages or do a search online to see what else Scripture says about the Lord’s day. What can you take away from these verses to apply in your own life?

  • Genesis 2:1‐3
  • Exodus 16:22‐30
  • Deuteronomy 5:1, 12‐15, 29
  • Nehemiah 13:1‐18
  • Isaiah 58:13‐14