I was recently given the privilenge to review Sabbath by Dan B. Allendar through Booksneeze.com.
When you hear the word Sabbath what comes to mind? According to the dictionary there are two definitions depending on your beliefs.
1. Sunday as day of religious worship: Sunday, observed by most Christians as the day of worship and rest from work
2. Saturday as day of religious worship: Saturday, observed as a day of religious worship and rest from work in Judaism and some Christian denominations.
Did you know the word Sabbath is used in the Bible 147 times?
According to the author, "the Sabbath is an invitation to enter delight. The Sabbath, when experienced as God intended, is the best day of our lives."
It is the fourth of the ten commandments. It is the bridge that takes us from the first three commandments that focus on God, to the final five which focus on our relationships with others.
Jesus did not annul the idea of the Sabbath.
It is not a break, day off, or 24 hour vacation.
It is a fest day that remembers our leisure in Eden and anticipates our play in the new heavens and earth.
Sabbath rest is not an option; it is a commandment. Is it as wrong to violate the Sabbath as it is to steal, lie, and kill?
The author uses the following illustration. "Imagine if someone were to offer you the opportunity to take a deep breath of fresh Rocky Mountain air or the choice to inhale a cloud of dark, oily diesel exhaust fumes. Every time we turn from God, we inhale the dark fumes of diesel fumes."
For many, the Sabbath has somehow morphed into Sunday, the day of the resurrection, and it is fulfilled by attending a religious event called Sunday morning church service. Once it is finished, the day is spent in routine yard maintenance, diversion, and preparation for the coming week. It cannot be shouted louder from the rooftops: This is not aSabbath! This is Sabbath-breaking.
What would you do for a twenty-four hour period of time if the criteria was to pursue your deepest joy?
