The Lord’s Day

“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

If you've watched Fiddler on the Roof like I have (many times!!!), you've seen how the Jews kept the Sabbath holy as God commanded them to do in the 20th chapter in Exodus. In the movie, we see how the family gathers together and Tevye and Golde lead the prayers. On Saturday evenings, my family and I welcome the Lord’s Day with a special meal and ceremony at home. Then on Sundays, we attend mass, and a prayer meeting. In the afternoon, it takes a lot of will power for me to follow God’s teaching and not work, but just relax, when it is actually for our own good like all God’s other commands! 

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, worshiping Him, helping others, doing good, reading His Word, as Isaiah 58:13-14 , Exodus 20:8-11, Luke 6:6-11, and Lev. 23:3 proposes, God will see that we honor Him and put Him first. And His promise to us if we do this? He will honor us!