August 13, 2010 Posted By: Mark Merrill

Remembering the Sabbath

 

So, what’s so important about Sabbath?  From the beginning of recorded time, the importance of taking a day of rest has been stressed as vital to the human condition.  Yet here we are, busier than ever before and growing more busy every day.  All the new technology that we have that helps to make our lives easier—Facebook, Twitter, texting, cell phones, instant messaging—are the same things that bleed into the time that used to be set aside for rest.  Instead of taking time to wind down and reconnect with our families, we are in a constant state of “on.”  This constant pull to be in work mode may seem beneficial on the surface, but nothing could be farther from the truth.

With each passing day, we demand that our businesses be open around the clock.  I mean, really, who needs a cheeseburger at 4am?  But that’s what we have done.  We feel the need to be on the go all the time, and that means having businesses that meet our needs.  The problem is that these businesses need people to operate.  And those people have families.  Before you know it, the parents are like ships in the night that only pass as one comes home from work and the other is leaving.  Together time is sparse to non-existent, and rest is simply out of the question.  I know that we live in a time of economic hardship, and I recognize that people have to take care of their families the best way they can, but we still need to recognize our need for rest – for Sabbath.

The founder of Chick-fil-A, S. Truett Cathy, faced a similar dilemma when he was opening his first business.  During the early years of his first restaurant, he made himself available 24 hours a day, even renting a house next to the diner to make it easier for him to be reached.  As business grew, he invested all his money and time into the success of his new venture.  His future was on the line, literally.  If he failed, he would lose everything.  At this critical moment, he made a decision.  He says it best in his book, Eat Mor Chikin:  Inspire More People:

”We were not so committed to financial success, however, that we were willing to abandon our principles and priorities.  One of the most visible examples of this was our decision to close on Sunday.  Ben and I had attended Sunday school and church all our lives, and we were not about to stop just because we owned a restaurant.  Our decision to close on Sunday was our way of honoring God and directing our attention to things more important than our business.  If it took seven days a week to make a living with a restaurant, then we needed to be in some other line of work.  Through the years I have never wavered from that position.”

What initially seemed to be a risk has turned out to be one of the most successful restaurant ventures in America.  Taking a day to rest in his business has benefited his bottom line.  Your reason for taking a day of rest may not be the same as Truett’s, but rest you should.

We were designed to work, and work hard. But we were also designed to have a day of rest.  I make it a point to rest and worship on Sundays, and encourage our team at Family First to do the same.  I hope you do, too.

Print Friendly
  • Smartin

    I am with you on this Mark, no more large Sunday dinners cooked on Sunday, preparation will be on Saturday and Eating and fellowshipping on Sunday right after church and then….rest and relation.

  • Domilco

    I agree with the need we have to rest one day a week. And as I read the bible from Genesis to Revelation, I see that the Creator blessed and sanctified the Sabbath for this same reason. Now the day that He sanctified was the Seventh Day of the week – Sabbath. Not just any other day. In all history since creation the week has always have the same 7 days in the same order. If we think that we have the right to choose whatever day we like to rest, we are missing the significant part of honoring and obeying God. I strongly urge you to consider honoring God that way He asked to.

  • Joan

    It may sound simplistic, however, observing Sunday as a day of worship and rest would change a lot of the problems in society. Think about families, they would have time for each other. Think about the environment, those concerned about global warming–a day of rest for the world. Think about the changes that could happen if we just STOP and observe the “Sabbath”. See you in church on Sunday. Spend time with your family. Encourage others to do the same.

  • Pulliep

    Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Let us honour Jehova by keeping His day of rest, not our day. The preparation day is Friday. Take time to read and study the word of God brothers and sisters.

  • Leaston

    I work in a business that requires me to be available on the weekends (Saturday and Sunday) to meet with our clients. My husband and I are a young family, and as our little one grows I am realizing how much I want the Church and God to be a part of her life. I recently spoke up at work and requested at least one Sunday off a month, so I can attend church with my family. They granted my request and this Sunday is my first opportunity to utilize my day off. I’m loving the fact that your daily email is focusing on the honoring the Sabbath this weekend….perfect timing in my life.

  • Lemac_us

    Since when did Sunday become the Sabbath? As I recall, Sabbath is the seventh day, which would make that Saturday. Also, Sabbath is the name for Saturday in Spanish and I think Hebrew and some other languages. In addition to that, Sabbath is the only day of the week mentioned by name in the Bible. Where did I go wrong? Can somebody help me please???

  • FirmBeliever

    This is an issue that has been at the center of debate for thousands of years. In fact, millions of people were summarily tortured and then put to death over this very quesion during the reign of Emperor Constantine. Rather than focusing on which DAY should be observed as the Sabbath, I think we are missing the larger point.

    Take a day to rest. You need that day to revive, to refocus, to refresh and to relax. If God took a day to rest and we are made in His image, then certainly we should follow His example. I think that focusing on the minutiae of the edict causes us to miss the big picture — and that then becomes counterproductive to the idea of rest.

    Frankly, the specifics of whether the Sabbath is Friday, Saturday or Sunday is a debate that has raged for thousands of years by people far more educated and enlightened than I. We will not be coming to a resolution within the confines of this blog or in this comment section. But we can agree that we all need to take a day off!

  • Rdeitz

    This family minute hit home, as I vividly remember to this day one Sunday about 35 years ago. I was a teenager, and I was waxing my car on a Sunday. My grandparents were visiting from out of state, and my Grandfather had a look at me while I was waxing my car like I had just killed a bunch of people or some other terrible action. I did not understand his reaction and when I inquired, he said I was working on the Sabbath. It was a almost unforgivable sin in his eyes. This had never been communicated to me in such a way. Unfortunately it was how I was raised and by that time had built in my habits. To this day I find it impossible to follow his words as we have so many things scheduled around Sunday, and we are so busy that Sunday is always very busy for me – with work. I do attend Church every Sunday – and then come home and do chores. But always with Grandpa Alex in the back of my mind…..

  • daze..

    i agree with all of you ppl..look at this r you resting on the wright day…as far as i know..sunday is not the true sabbath…if you look at the callender it will help you find the seventh day of the week..the true sabbath is saturday…i’m a seventh day adventist nd we go to church on sabbath which is saturday…you can look up in the bible from the begining to the end nd you will never find sunday is the sabbath day..

  • Jean

    Who commanded us to take a day? YHVH said remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. This is the ALL-MIGHTY we are talking about. I also notice that good friday has never fallen on any other day than Friday, and following it is the sabbath ( Saturday ) then the next day is resurection Sunday. Satan said to Eve thou shall not die. The lier spoke then and she believed him, he has been speaking since telling us it does not matter if we choose a day but GOD did not say that. Why is it sooo hard to obey the ALL_MIGHTY GOD and soooo easy to disobey. The one who does not love us ,who seek to destroy us at every chance, he is the one we obey. This is very very sad. Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, 1Samuel 15:22

  • TSwingrover

    The SDA brothers and sisters are right in one way and wrong in another. They are right in that Saturday is the Sabbath. Sunday was never in scripture equated with the Sabbath. But they are wrong in insisting that Christians are under the law to “keep” the Sabbath. Christians MAY keep the Sabbath… or they may not. The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. cf Col 2:16; Rom 14:5

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_CO37NW7U336C2NFHUBGCQXPRXA Jacob

    The Sabbath was an Old Testament Ordinance. Yes we should follow God’s example of resting (that’s how we were created. We are not intended to go go go, but to take a time to rest.) But here’s the thing. People who argue to take a sabbath aren’t even reading what the sabbath was, and the ordinances that went along with it. If they were they wouldn’t be going to church, they wouldn’t be going to Chili’s after church and forcing other people to break the sabbath. I’m not condemning those whoso choose to follow it, I am simply saying that if you are going to observe, do it to what it is. To extend it to another level, if you are going to follow part of the Mosaic Law follow all of it. I am not saying get rid of the OT. I believe us as Christians can glean a tremendous amount of application from it. But once we become part of the Body of Christ, we are set free from the law! That’s what most of Galatians is talking about. We as Christians have more than enough in the NT to live by, we should not have to return to the OT. It will also help us when debating an atheist or homosexual for that matter by not throwing Leviticus at them, but instead show them love by taking them to the NT. If we can live by the book of James alone, we’ll be doing pretty good.

  • Friday

    All that I know is that I am refreshed when I go to the house of the Lord to praise Him and hear His message. God wanted us to keep one day that our mind would be on Him and let go of what is going on in our life. He lifts us up when we turn to Him. It is just a moment of heaven. Just as God set up the commandments so that we might know right from wrong, He set a day aside that we might remember Him and be refreshed. Yes, a specific day of the week was originally set up for consistency but as Christians we are set free from the law. Although, we are told to not forsake the gathering together for fellowship. There is great freedom in following Jesus..the way, the truth and the life. I do not disrespect any that see it another way. Love in Christ to all!

  • busmomma

    I have always thought that not working on the “Sabbath” referred to only work by earning an income. Even cleaning up your meal is “work” but it is not earning an income. But as we all struggle through the recession, sometimes working to earn an income on Sunday or Saturday is not an option if you want to put food on the table for your family!

  • Wade Davis

    I wish we had more people with the right perspective on life and living as Mr. Cathy. The chase after the almighty dollar has changed our society and families. We need a renaissance to reconnect with our families, friends, our inner self and the world around us. I grew up during the time of Blue laws and businesses and services accept essential ones were closed. I never went hungry, never went without clothing or had to buy a car on Sunday. We planned and did those on Saturday or another day, we had off. If large stores like Walmart, would follow the life principles of Mr Cathy, what a wonderful message it would send to the rest of the business world. Money no question is nice, but it shouldn’t be our end all for life. Hats off to Chik-fil-a where I can eat more chicken Monday through Saturday. I pray others will follow.

  • Webtech

    We set aside Sunday and have found that as we have done so, we have been blessed – that is the proof of the concept, in the testing. We refrain from working our business unless it is an emergency (the ox in the mire), we don’t shop (forcing someone else to work). We attend church, sometimes visit friends, spend time with our kids (often telling stories or playing quiet games), and have a shelf of videos that are Sunday Videos (videos that help us keep our minds centered on spiritual things). I don’t generally even turn on the computer on Sunday, because I am more tempted to do things that distract me if I do. As we have done this, our business has prospered more, and our family has become closer. I feel that true concepts can be tested and proven – so we did. We keep doing it because the value of it has been proven in our lives.

    I think that if you obsess over which day is the “right” one, you are missing the point of it entirely. It is easy to focus on the mote and overlook the beam. The point is to give the Lord His due. One day a week to be a more Christlike person, which makes us better all week. In actual practice, the Lord blesses us no matter which day we choose to worship and refrain from worldly work (a test which anyone can perform) – and therein is the proof of the statement that He is less concerned about WHICH day than He is about regular observance (were it otherwise, He could not bless those who got the day wrong, which He manifestly DOES since He blesses both sides). More important to BE a better person than to debate over something which has nothing to do with the observance itself.

  • daze

    you r right ,the sabbath is iin the old testament.but that didnt change ne thing about switching the sabbath to sunday…also it doesnt mean that we cannot use the OT..if it wasnt for theOT ,there wouldnt b a NT…we cannot live our lives only by the NT,god said if you love me,obey all my commandments that means from genesis to rev..not only the NT…this is the only commandment that says REMEMBER…diferent frm the rest of the commandment….

  • daze

    brotha,there is nothing wrong with you working on sunday…b/c sunday is the first day of the week.to help you know what day is sabbath,look at the callender you will see ahich day is the sabbath day…the seventh day of the week which is saturday..also if you look up sunday in the dictionary it says sunday is the first day of the week..and saturday is the sabbath day which every1 should rest and go to church not only you go to church you are obeying gods cmmandment..

  • Lemac_us

    Very interesting concept. I wonder what drove you to do the test of worshiping on another day, since the instructions are so clear. I guess I can covet another man’s wife, as long as he is not my neighbor.

  • Lemac_us

    I could agree with you wholeheartedly, if you would also say Christians MAY kill… or they may not and Christians MAY steal…or nay not. though provoking, isn’t it?

  • Lemac_us

    You are absolute right about the fact that this debate has raged for thousands of years by people far more educated and enlightened than us. And also that Emperor Constantine summarily tortured and killed thousands over this same question. But if the little history I learned over 40 years ago serves me right, i believe it was to enforce the change he made to appease the pagans who worshipped Sun God. (Sunday?) I’m just curious about how easy it is to continue obeying Emperor Constantine’s edict, as opposed to God’s 4th Commandment. Interesting!!!

  • Anonymous

    I hesitate to reply because I will not engage in a debate with you. However, I came across this:
    Some Christians observe the Sabbath on the seventh day of the week – FRIDAY SUNSET TO SATURDAY SUNSET – as it was commanded in the old covenant. But the New Testament treats the Sabbath in a significantly different way than the Old Testament does, and it is not required for Christians today. This does not mean that Sabbath-keepers must cease keeping the Sabbath. Christians who choose to keep the seventh-day Sabbath, and Christians who do not choose to do so, should be tolerant of each other’s convictions. (you may read the article in it’s entirety here: http://www.wcg.org/lit/law/sabbath/sabbath1.htm)

    I bid you peace, my brother in Christ. I am thankful that He is gracious, merciful, forgiving and understanding – even if I worship Him on the “wrong” day.

  • Guest

    Amen brother! ”You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.” Galations 5:4

  • Mnakime

    Can someone show me where in the bible it said that Sunday is the sabbath? Please read history and be  informed. The 4th commandment is still as binding today, as the other 9. It is the only commandment that has the word remember, because God looked down in history and saw that we would be made to forget, or attempts made to make us forget the true day of worship. The Old Testament does not contradict the New Testament. If the importance of the day was not significant, then God would not have specified the Seventh, would He?  Let us seek to be obedient to God, and honestly ask Him, and He will direct our paths. Blessings

  • Ministry mom

    This last comment was refreshing for me after reading all the arguments on a specific day to honor God.  My husband and I are in ministry and Sunday is not a day of rest for either of us.  We are trying to honor God by resting and worshiping Him during another 24 hour time period.  I believe the Sabbath looks different to each believer.  We are trying to honor God with our hearts by intentionally resting in Him.