We encountered a difficult choice this Sabbath. My father-in-law was having a birthday celebration with all of my husband’s family on Friday night. No one could get there until after 6:00 p.m. We felt torn as to how to handle it.
They all know we have starting keeping the Sabbath. They are also pretty supportive. But we just didn’t feel like we could tell them we wouldn’t come. So we went and had a nice time of family fellowship. As I went to bed that night I realized that I missed having a sense of quietness. And I missed waking up with that jump-start to centering my thoughts on God. Both my husband and I struggled until the afternoon to settle into the Sabbath. We have a wedding next Friday at 5:00 p.m. that we really feel we need to attend. From the research we have done so far, we read that Jewish wedding celebrations lasted seven days. I assume, then, that they celebrated on the Sabbath? It has been a bit of a struggle at times trying to decide what we should and shouldn't do on the Sabbath. I know I want to honor God and please Him. I read what He says in His Word. But being completely obedient can sometimes be difficult! I’m trying to find the balance of keeping the Sabbath without offending friends and family or turning them away. It's hard to say, “I love you and want to share this important day with you, but I love God more so I won’t be there.” I realize that keeping the Sabbath starts with my heart attitude. If I get hung up on rules and regulations, sometimes I can lose sight of the purpose. Like I said, finding a balance can be a struggle. My family did get a chance this Sabbath to spend time with God and get some rest. One of my favorite things was listening to an old children's program with my daughter that I used to listen to growing up. I remembered how it helped me lay a foundation of faith after becoming a Christian. I want to put out a question this week: How have you handled keeping the Sabbath when it's hard? It has been so helpful to hear others share their experiences and wisdom! Until next week,Lisa G.
