Shabbat!

What would it do for your family?

You will not know till you try it on for size, perhaps several times to give a proper critique.

A full 24 hours. From sunset to sunset. The prescribed day in Scripture is the seventh day of the week. That is from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset. However, I suspect one day a week, any day of the week, will provide abundant benefits to families embracing it.

Considering we are Westerners we have had little experience observing Exodus 20:8 for more than a few decades, at least; and it will take some serious planning, dedication, adjusting, and dare I say some trial and error for us to collectively appreciate the Father’s command: ⁸ “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.

Keeping it holy. Holy means set apart. Perhaps we could say not like all the other days, a peculiar day. Peculiar isn’t an ugly word, I rather like it.

I think this particular day could shape up differently, family to family, and perhaps even week to week.  For JT and me, one of the big things to lay aside on Shabbat is Television. No news media in any form, no movies, no TV for a full 24 hours.  Some of the very staunch have suggested no electronics period. We are not there yet, and may not get there at all. However, I count it success to have refrained from scrolling my Facebook feed for more than 24 hours this past Shabbat.  I did post a prayer and a prayer request and I did check notices related thereto; so far, I’m okay with that.  Oh and yes Gospel related music was especially pleasant for a portion of the Sabbath.  I confess I did make our bed but I did no laundry, no floor mopping – I put dishes in the dishwasher and turned them on Saturday night.  Oh, it was fun!  

The day of the beginning of Shabbat was busy with food prep so I would not have to cook anything further once Shabbat had begun. This time not being well acclimated we purchased already prepared potato salad to go alongside the crock pot roast; this freed up time for other prepping matters.  Oh, and we had what I termed Shabbat Dessert; this time it was a bundt cake with fruit spread and whipped cream. Yum! We ate by candlelight!  :) 

All in all, it was one of the best days! We read Scripture, we talked about Scripture, we prayed, we relaxed, we visited a sick friend, we went for a ride, we didn’t rush to do anything and we made it our goal to enjoy each other all as acts of worship and honor for the GOD who loves us and gave Himself to us. I can hardly wait for Shabbat to come again! 

So I am thinking. What would this do for marriages and families with children?!! Yes, the children (and the parents!) would give up TV and Netflix and all that stuff we do with our handheld devices; and instead of talking with their friends (unless they could convince their friends to actually visit in person) they would have Parental Attention for all the waking hours of that 24 hour period! I mean board games, bike riding, reading, listening to wholesome GOD-honoring music, picnics, nature hikes, fishing even, etc., etc. —  any low-key relaxing all together family activity apart from commercialized, we have to pay somebody else stuff. How bad could that be? Think of the family interaction, and creativity this would generate! 

I am certainly not advocating unplugging from the Creator but I submit to you that even families who have no affection for the Bible or the GOD of the Bible would benefit from a weekly 24-hour family unplugged from the world fast.

But for me seeking to actually obey ⁸ “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, . . . well like I said, I can hardly wait for next Shabbat. It will be different from the last but HE WILL BE PRESENT and I am thrilled! 

And yes we did attend our customary church service on Sunday – even that was better! 

The LORD our GOD is holy
Kathie

Revisited and edited 6.17.2023