A day of rest
Be Not Conformed has an excellent post up on preparing your heart and home for the Sabbath. Don't miss it!
What do you do in your home to prepare for the Sabbath? Are there special things you do on the Sabbath to set it aside as a day of rest? I'd love to hear!
What do you do in your home to prepare for the Sabbath? Are there special things you do on the Sabbath to set it aside as a day of rest? I'd love to hear!
posted by Crystal Paine at 5:33 PM
11 Comments:
Crystal,
I just posted on the same topic at my blog. Incidentally, there is a reason why Christians ought not to refer to Sunday as "the Sabbath."
Even now that all of my siblings are adults, Sunday night is still family time- we have been known to drive/fly in to my parents' hometown in order to gather from different parts of the state for our traditional Mexican food dinner on Sunday nights. I am so thankful that my parents kept that slot in the week sacrosanct. On the other hand, if I am visiting with my family for the weekend, I make it a point to return to my own church on Sunday mornings if at all possible. No church shopping!
A family that I really admire has a rule that there is to be no talking or radio in the car on the way to church; instead, they pray together aloud from a printed breviary, or recite a Psalm. I really admire that.
Totally nothing to do with the post...but when I view your page, your RH column has been bumped down to below your centre column...you know what I mean? Just letting you know. :) And no, I'm not using Firefox on this computer...it's not mine.
Hey Crystal (from YMAW)
for Sabbath, we are starting to do the messianic prayer to bring in Shabbat, with the candles...i have not yet mastered it, and still need to read it every time, but i'll get there! It's hard to remember to be home every week! :)
Actually, MM, I specifically used that terminology because there are many dear friends of mine (who are readers of this blog) who observe the Sabbath. I have studied and discussed this with many of them at length and understand where they are coming from. I also understand where those who observe Sunday as "the Sabbath" are coming from as well. I did not want to make this a debate on that subject but rather wanted to keep it to the subject of setting aside a day each week to rest and refresh ourselves in the Lord.
Is anyone else seeing my sidebar in a funky place? I can't think what would have caused that.
I see your right sidebar moved all the way down, but I thought you mentioned moving it because of the Mr. Linky thing! ?
Crystal, understood that you do not wish to make a "debate" out of the issue, but if you are so deliberate (as a Christian) in referring to Sunday as "the Sabbath," which is honored by the Jewish tradition, I would be really interested to know why...
Crystal, as believers we are to seek and stand firm concerning truth; because the topic was posted in a public forum such as this rather than as a private conversation, shouldn't the topic have elaboration from the perspective of what God says and means? Not a debate...as in wielding argumentative words to see which poster wins or to be divisive among believers or judgmental of what only God is to judge...but cannot we comment concerning what the Lord has revealed from the perspective of being as the Bereans searching the Scriptures to see what is so? That way, the Lord can deal with us individually on the matter?
Joyce: Because this is my blog and not a debate forum or even a discussion forum (though I do welcome comments and discussion on many topics), I choose to not have discussions on certain topics at certain times which I feel would not be beneficial or which I do not have time to moderate. If you've been around here for awhile, you will understand why I've chosen to do this. In the past, many discussions turned into debates which quickly became unprofitable and took up much time on my part and on the part of others. I know it might not make sense if you've not moderated a blog before but it can quickly take up enormous amounts of time if you do not work hard to keep it in check. At certain times, I have more time to open up the floor to discussion than others. I try very hard to keep my priorities in check and to make this a place which is welcoming, warm, and encouraging. Thanks for your understanding!
MM: Actually, I refer to the Sabbath as whichever day you set aside to honor the Lord and rest and refresh your spirit. The Hebrew word "Shabbat" actually means day of rest. It does not mean a specific day, from what I have studied (someone can correct me if I am wrong on that). That is why I use the word interchangeably. I understand both arguments for observing the Sabbath on either day. I used to be staunchly a "Sunday only Sabbath" person, but after really studying it out Biblically, I understand where those who observe the literal Sabbath are coming from. As an aside, are you familiar with Messianic beliefs? I have a number of friends who are Messianic and I've learned much from them. I think the most important thing is that is that we should have a day set aside to rest and refresh ourselves in the Lord, however, everyday should be a day for worshipping - everyday should be the "Lord's Day" - not just one day in seven.
Okay, here's the deal about the right sidebar.
I have my IE browser text size set to medium and at medium, large, or largest, the RH nav bar is moved to the bottom. At Small or smallest text size settings, it it up where it is supposed to be.
The two "recommended links" sections as well as the "currently reading" sections of the right nav are the only text that I see changing size when I switch sizes of text. My guess is that those are bumping the nav down to the bottom for people who have their default text size set to medium or higher, at least in IE.
I'm such great technical support, aren't I? ;) Actually I found this all out somewhat by accident... I didn't sit here just playing with your site, I promise! ;)
Hi Crystal, many Christian forums require moderation because of unbelievers that taunt and because believers can have passionate differences. I've not formally had the label of moderator but have done so with subject relaltive posts that have been the "pillow" when others have provided the "knee jerk and boot". :-) The thought was that it could be beneficial to comment on what the Sabbath festival of Israel is from the perspective of the Old Testament/Old Covenant(shabbath Strongs 7676, one meaning including it being a feast/festival day of atonement) and what it is from the perspective of the New Testament/New Covenant(for examples: sabbaton Strongs 4521 where it refers to the 7th day of the week festival of Israel sundown Friday to sundown Saturday AND in Hebrews 4:9 where the word sabbatismos Strongs 4520 means Sabbath rest where believers cease from working for salvation). Though there is a rest of Joshua and Moses in the Old Testament and spoken through David of being offered by God after His people were in the promised land of rest, for the believer it all is a shadow that points to the fullness found only in the Messiah 24/7. I had in mind following the line of thought of Zola Levitt here: http://www.levitt.com/faqs.html#sabbath
I understand where you are coming from concerning discussions versus comments...though it isn't the easiest venture for me when it comes to having to differentiate. Rather than email you a response, the reply is sent through the comment format in the event you would choose to post. One of the desires of the heart the Lord has given me is sitting at His feet in the study of His Word. Iron sharpens iron; thus, my hope was and is that when any opportunity to delve into what God says and means came up on this blog, that He'd speak to my heart through what the Holy Spirit illuminated to others. Just wanted to share the motive for the previous comment and the sharing in this one.
:-)
Crystal,
Hmmm, thanks for the clarification. From what I know of your worldview, I can see how the practices of Messianic Jews might be attractive to you.
I raise the issue because, as Christians, we do not so much "observe the Sabbath" as we worship Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath (Matthew 12, Mark 2, Luke 13). The earliest Christians came to worship on Sunday, rather than on the Sababth day, because Sunday was the set-apart day from all others for honoring Christ's Resurrection "on the first day of the week." (Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, John 20, Acts 20, I Cor 16). This is and always has been a very different commemoration, clearly distinct from "Sabbath observance." Observance of Sunday as the commemoration of the Lord's Resurrection helps us to avoid diluting the Gospel and falling back into reliance on pre-Christian observances, as Paul warned against in Galatians 4. I bring this up because I know your allegiance is to Christ over the practices of Israel, and I worry when I see Christians conflating foundational beliefs and practices. "The important thing" is to worship Christ rightly, not merely to set aside a time of leisure each week.
- Best!
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