God's Favorite Day

[Ramez5]

If you stop trampling on the day of worship
and doing as you please on my holy day, '
if you call the day of worship a delight
and the LORD's holy day honorable,

if you honor it by not going your own way,
by not going out when you want,
and by not talking idly,
then you will find joy in the LORD.
I will make you ride on the heights of the earth.
I will feed you with the inheritance of your ancestor Jacob.
The LORD has spoken.

Today is the fourth Sunday that I've given wholly to the Lord. The last three have been amazing.. and I'm fully expecting today to be so too.

Dear friends I can't tell you how much the Lord has changed my heart.. my flesh.. my struggles.. So many amazing answers to prayers.. so many unexpected delights.. such a filling of joy, peace, patience, self-control... all due to three things...

1. Fasting from things that have too strong a hold on me (Like during Lent and on Sundays, from computer games, movies, and social networks)
2. Seeking Him first.. every day of the week.
3. Honoring Him on His day. Giving the Lord my heart and attention on His day and calling it a delight..

For years I wondered, with a faint sense of unease, why don't we consider "Honor the Sabbath to keep it holy" as as binding a command as all the others ones like, don't commit adultery, or steal or lie. I didn't really want to know the answer, I can assure you! I knew I wouldn't like it if I found up I had to give up my past-times on that day.

It's seems rather telling to me that the only commands we take seriously, out of all ten commandments, are the ones directed towards each other. I'm honestly wondering if that's because it's so much more likely we'll be 'caught' if we lie, steal, or cheat on a spouse. We can 'see' the sins we commit against 'real' people.. our family, neighbors etc. And we know how bad it feels when someone does those things to us..

but visualizing or relating to what it means to not honor God.. that takes something more than most of us can muster on our own.

The first four commandments are all directed towards God... and normally, no one but ourselves, would ever know if we ever broke them or not. Maybe we're just selfish? Yipes.. I hate to think of it that way. Perhaps we just don't spend enough time with the Lord to care whether we are breaking these four.. or just don't see him as 'real' enough to take these commands seriously.

We don't 'see' the consequences... and no one in our culture seems to care any more.

Isn't worrying about honoring the Lord on his day.. a bit legalistic? Aren't we under a different 'covenant'? Didn't Paul say we no longer had to respect 'the sabbaths'? These are a few of the questions that popped into my head and so many other peoples' when I brought the topic up.

Yet I have never been at peace about how I spent Sundays... until this month. Frankly, I could answer all these questions if you really want the answers, not because I'm so smart.. but because I've spent hours searching out the truth on this topic, mostly the original texts of the passages on the sabbath, and also the one verse that is quoted to say we no longer have to obey.. just the one command.. on not observing the sabbaths. Plus I've read a lot of commentaries from trusted men of our faith through the centuries. They all agree we should honor the Lord one day a week.. and NOT work.

Mind you that's plural sabbaths.. and little S.. not THE Sabbath..with a BIG S --most theologians through the centuries have agreed that the one passage in Col. 2:16 that appeared to say we no longer had to honor the Lord's day referred to the sabbath feasts, special sabbaths, yearly sabbaths, the jubilee ect.. more ceremonial Jewish feasts rather than the one day that God rested on).

Our whole country and all of Christendom for centuries.. honored 'the Lord's Day'. Admittedly, the early Christians didn't celebrate the 'Jewish sabbath'. After Christ came back from the dead, on a Sunday, as it is traditionally understood to be the case, they changedfrom Saturday to Sunday to honor the Lord on the day of the week he was resurrected-celebrating His great victory over the grave.

Arguments aside... what is the Lord's day all about anyway? For me.. it's all about giving my love and devotion... my time.. and my attention.. to the one who is jealous of my heart.. and yours. Yes, I think we can put ourselves in God's shoes to some degree here.

He gave his son for us.. he created our earth.. provides for us daily... constantly monitors us and directs our every circumstance for our ultimate spiritual good...endures our sin... and looks at the dear Lord's sacrifice instead of our depravity...gives us grace to obey.. to repent.. to follow.. answers every single prayer (yes no IS an answer )...the list goes on and on...

All He asks for in return.. is that we seek Nim first, that we love him with our WHOLE heart, soul and mind... He asks us for one day out of seven.. and that we seek him first.. before we pursue our own daily business.

Considering he is our eternal spouse.. and we are his bride.. is that too much for a bridegroom to ask of his bride? Can we honestly say we love him.. if we won't spend one day a week.. thinking about him.. instead of ourselves, spending time with him.. adoring him.. caring for the souls he cares for and the things he loves? Can we not take 15 mins or so each morning.. to say hello? To admit we need his help? (apart from him.. we will blow the day.. not 'maybe' but WILL)

There is a reason we are falling apart as a people.. especially the church. It's simple.. we are worshiping other gods and don't even realize it. We love money.. and can't stop working.. we love the praise of men.. so we pursue our own goals.... we love leisure.. food.. good-times.. fellowship with others. Our hearts are so cold that truly, sometimes, we are unwilling or even unable to feel any affection for the Lord.

I am the guiltiest of the guilty

I suspected the state of my heart.. but excused it.. since I had never come across anyone who really suggested or appeared to be doing otherwise. I don't know anyone who really makes a serious effort to be that conscientious about the Lord's day. I'm not saying no one does... I just haven't heard it discussed by anyone up till now.

Dear friends, in no way am I saying I have the corner on this subject.. or am completely correct in my understanding... but I do know one thing for myself personally.. I have not loved the Lord enough.. and I can't get away from this passage of scripture.. this begging of God.. for my attention and heart.

Please, understand that this challenge is between you and the Lord. In no way am I wanting anyone to feel condemned. You are beloved by Him. There is no condemnation in Christ Jesus. This is not about that...


It's about love.. and a special relationship between you and the Lord..
It's about spiritual freedom.. from besetting sins..
It's about joy overflowing...
and a little bit of heaven on earth.

Try it ... you just might find yourself delighted... as I have been.

[Mary Naeem]

Thanks Ramez

[walaa farouk]

Thanks Ramez