Keeping the Sabbath Holy ("set apart")

When I was a small child, I learned the Fourth commandment "Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy." Growing up in a strong, Christian family, I went to church Sunday mornings, Sunday nights and Wednesday nights--and a few days in between for special activities. One of my earliest memories is waking up to old-time gospel music on Sunday mornings (played at top-volume by Daddy--lol). On Sunday afternoons, we would eat lunch, take naps and work on whatever projects and/or Bible verses we needed to complete for our Sunday evening classes.

Since having children, we have attended church pretty faithfully (although there have been seasons when it was difficult). I have been troubled recently by the fact that church did not seem to be a blessing, but rather a chore to my children. I was growing increasingly concerned that they would not wish to honor God as they grew older because Sundays were not joyful--but burdensome instead.

Recently I have begun to meditate on the concept of honoring the Sabbath and keeping it holy. First, I would like to state that being holy is more than being good and righteous. As a child, I never realized this. I thought that keeping the Sabbath holy meant that we were to go to church and be especially good on Sundays. But, it means more than that. Holy means set apart for a special purpose. So, in other words, our Sabbath (which for us is celebrated on Sundays) should be set apart for the purpose of worship and praise to God for all of his blessings. It should be a time to remember the sacrifice of Christ on the cross at Calvary. Most of all, it should be different from the other six days of the week. It should be a day of joy and blessing.

Modern Christians have developed a pattern of thinking that tells us that if we attend church on Sunday, we've kept the Fourth commandment. This is sad, because in doing so we miss out on many of the blessing that the Lord intended for us to have through keeping this commandment. The Lord meant for Sunday to be a wonderful day of rest and reflection. This is good for anyone--no matter who you are. God did not mean for us to go at the fast and frenzied pace that our society seems to exist in currently--without ever taking a break.

I came across a website www.abondantliving.com that explains more about the Sabbath and gives several ideas for learning to celebrate the Sabbath in a more meaningful way. This weekend I introduced a new tradition in our family and the family loved it. It made the weekend much more pleasant for everyone and gave the children something to look forward to on Sunday. It helped direct our thoughts towards the Lord, rather than on our own pleasure and projects.

On Saturday morning, we began with a thorough house cleaning. By Sunday afternoon, Eenie and I began preparing our evening meal ("our Sabbath Feast") to begin after sundown on Saturday evening. We decided that it would be easier to have our Sabbath Feast on Saturday evening, because it is difficult to come home after a two to three hour church service and expect people to wait for an elaborate meal to be prepared. For our first Sabbath Feast, we ate teriyaki chicken, rice, green beans, grapes, and for dessert we had special cookie bouquet cookies (from Grammy & Grandpa) for the people who don't have food allergies and French Twirls for the people who do have food allergies.

We had the table decorated with a lace tablecloth, and a centerpiece made by Eenie, along with a candle representing Christ that we kept burning during the meal (or tried to--it kept going out-lol). We also used our best dishes that we usually save for special company. I explained to the children that I hoped this Sabbath Feast would be a tradition and that it would help prepare our hearts and minds for the worship and praise of our Lord and Savior on the next day. I began explaining to them about how the people in Biblical times would celebrate the Sabbath, and how I did not wish the Sabbath to become a burden for them (as it has been for many people over the centuries), but rather that we would set it apart joyfully in honor of the Lord. I told them that I wanted them to participate in this feast as if Christ were sitting there with us (which he is, of course) and the candle was a visible reminder of that.

I read Psalm 138 and a poem called Watering the Lilies (which talks about an earthen vessel used by the Master for watering the lilies). We discussed the blessings that we had received that week from the Lord and gave thanks for them. I also directed the children's thoughts to the next day when we would attend church. I explained to them that when we sing at church, we are thanking God for all of the wonderful gifts he has given us and the sacrifice of His Son. I also told them that we should always attend church with the expectation of receiving a word from the Lord, and we should listen attentively for that word so that we don't miss it. The children also had the opportunity to share their Bible memory work they were doing (for Eenie--the books of the Old Testament, for Meanie, the first five books of the Bible and for Miney--the first two books of the Bible).

After our Sabbath Feast, we cleaned up dinner and I used the leftover chicken to make up some chicken salad (chicken, grapes, celery, onion, relish, and homemade milkless, eggless mayo put together quickly when using my food processor and blender). We gave the children a bath and rolled Eenie's hair and made sure that the house was completely clean with the dishes all done before we went to bed. I also told the children that we were going to have "High Tea" after church tomorrow, so that gave them something to look forward to.

After attending church on Sunday, we came home and put together chicken salad sandwiches cut up into triangles. I washed some grapes and some baby carrots, and laid out some Ranch dressing and that completed the main portion of the "High Tea". We also served peach tea, which the children are not normally allowed to drink. While we were having tea (again using our best dishes and a nicely decorated table, along with our "Christ candle"), I put a Bisquick cobbler in the oven, and as soon as we were done eating, we enjoyed apple cobbler for dessert. Dessert is a rare treat in our home, so that definitely made the Sabbath set apart for my kids in a way they could definitely appreciate--lol!

Clean-up was quick and easy because the bulk of the stuff had been made the day before, so after lunch, we cleaned the kitchen and laid down for naps. Evening was spent reading, relaxing, while the children played "pretend" and enjoyed their toys and games. I can't begin to convey how much I was blessed by the joyful faces and participation of my family.

I am looking forward to making this a tradition, and hopefully, I can keep that commitment. The children have realized how much they enjoy it, so that will motivate them to help in preparations. The celebrations made the Sabbath much more special and less stressful for me, and hopefully point my children towards the Lord in a beautiful and meaningful way.