Keep Holy the Sabbath 

   “Remember the sabbath day – keep it holy. (Ex 20: 8) 

   How are we to keep the Sabbath holy?  What should and what shouldn't we do on the Lord's Day?  It's an age old question and the answers have often changed over the years.

   The Scribes and Pharisees of Jesus’ time had created 613 laws that Jews were to obey, many of them listing what could and could not be done on the Sabbath.  They grew angry at Jesus and accused Him of blasphemy because He called those laws into question. “Which of you who has a sheep that falls into a pit on the sabbath will not take hold of it and pull it out?  How much more valuable a person is than a sheep.  So it is lawful to do good on the sabbath." (Matt 12: 11 - 12)

   The Sabbath is to be a day of rest, but what constitutes an acceptable activity on the Sabbath?  Is working in a soup kitchen to feed the hungry a violation?  What about working in a hospital, caring for the sick?  Does helping a friend or even a stranger who desperately needs our help violate the Sabbath?  I believe Jesus would happily join us in such efforts.

   So, how are we to keep the Sabbath holy?  Perhaps, after prayerful consideration, we should ask ourselves, “Am I doing what is good, giving glory to God or am I just satisfying my own selfish wants and desires?”