Jeremiah 17:21-23

This is what the LORD says: Listen to my warning! Stop carrying on your trade at Jerusalem’s gates on the Sabbath day. Do not do your work on the Sabbath, but make it a holy day. I gave this command to your ancestors, but they did not listen or obey. They stubbornly refused to pay attention or accept my discipline.

We were reflecting yesterday on the importance of maintaining good spiritual rhythms. Today’s passage reminds us of the most important of them: the Sabbath, one day in seven set apart for God. God observed this in Creation. For six days he laboured, and then, on the seventh, the all-powerful God rested. From that time onwards, the pattern of a weekly day of rest was established, and God pointed out through Jeremiah that the people’s failure to observe the Sabbath was at the heart of their problems. It was a clear sign that they were only concerned with their own interests and had no time for God.

The early Church soon moved their special day of rest from Saturday to Sunday to celebrate the resurrection. There are no laws about how the day should be used. It is quite simply a day set apart for us to strengthen our relationship with God. It will naturally be a time to worship with other Christians, and it is exciting to realise that every Sunday, millions of believers will be meeting together to sing praise to God and to reflect on the Bible together. The rest of the day may be spent with family and friends, going out for walks or playing sport. What matters is that God is the centre of attention, and that the day stands apart from the other six. That’s good for our spiritual health, but it’s also good for our mental and physical health. We all need a break from the routines of life, and Sunday is God’s special gift to us.

Question

In what ways do you make God the centre of your attention on Sundays?

Prayer

Loving God, thank you for the gift of Sunday. Help me to use it wisely. Amen