Possibly because yesterday
was Sunday (our Sabbath day), the opening accounts about Jesus and the Sabbath
attracted my attention.
Truth is, the culture I
live in really does not have a Sabbath, a day for rest, reflection, restoration,
relationships and reverence. In our culture every day is basically the same as
every other day… do, do, do…
The thought that plucking
some grain and rubbing it in your hands constituted ‘work’ which the Pharisees
determined broke the Sabbath ‘no work’ rule shows me how literally they took the
Sabbath. But it is also clear that they went too far, healing a person, caring
for another human being, also constituted work which was not allowed on the
Sabbath.
Balancing law and grace is
always tricky… tip one way and anything goes; tip the other and the human
capacity to love and feel compassion can be squeezed out of
life.
The crowning line of this
section is verse 8: For the Son of Man is
Lord of the Sabbath. And Jesus desires mercy not sacrifice
(7).
Mercy and Sabbath keeping…
mercy on us –time for resting. Mercy on us –time for relationships.
Understanding true Sabbath is seeing God having mercy on
us.
But as with Jesus, laws and
rules for keeping Sabbath are tempered by mercy. When showing mercy to another
by healing them causes one to break the Sabbath rest rule, mercy
wins!
Still no matter how I slice
it, I need to think more and incorporate more ‘Sabbathing’ into my life… to
restore the balance God grants in Sabbath keeping
Much more thinking to do…
How about you?
Oh God, thank
You for Sabbath, the day and the concept. Help me to better instill Your gift of
Sabbath into my life and so become a much more whole person… In Jesus’ name and
for the sake of His name I pray. Amen.
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