Keep Holy

“Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day. Six days you may labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord, your God.” Exodus 20:8-10

On Sundays, my family attends mass, and a prayer meeting. But when I get home, it takes a lot of will power not to work, but just to rest. There are so many things to do! 

It is important to note that God blessed the 7th day, and declared it holy, sanctified, hallowed. When something is holy, it is set apart, dedicated or consecrated to God. We are NOT the ones to make it holy by our actions. We are supposed to KEEP it holy.

Eric Liddell, a Scottish athlete, immortalized in the film "Chariots of Fire", was determined to keep Sunday, the Christian Sabbath, holy. At the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris, he refused to run in his best event, the mens 100 meters, because the heat was held on a Sunday. So he chose to compete in the 400 meters even if after practicing for this for several months prior to the Olympics, his time was not good enough. 

Before he ran the 400 meters, an American Team masseuse ran up to him to give him a piece of paper with a bible verse- "Those who honor me, I will honor." 1 Samuel 2:23. Eric Liddell won the 400 meters, and broke the world record.

Indeed, if we keep the 7th day holy, by resting, refraining from work, going to church and worshiping Him with others as Isaiah 16:23 and Lev. 23:3 proposes, and helping others, God will see that we honor Him and put Him first. And His promise to us if we do this? He will honor us!