Devotion for the Week...
I have been disappointed this winter by the lack of snow days. I know most people are enjoying the mild, almost snow free winter, but I am not! Well, the mild temperatures are fine, but if you've been around here any length of time, you'll know I love snowshoeing. In order to go snowshoeing, you need a fair bit of snow; certainly more than the couple of inches we have right now. Aside from that, I love snow days that mean school is cancelled because I babysit for teachers, so when school is cancelled I get a day off 😊 Those are the best kind of days because they're free - I don't have anywhere to be or anything that has to be done, so I'm free to spend it sewing or reading or snowshoeing or visiting with one particular friend who is a teacher (we call those visits Storm Day Tea). Snow days are way more restful than weekends, which are usually jammed full of household chores to accomplish all the stuff that can't get done during the week.
One day last week I read "Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the Lord your God has commanded you. You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your oxen and donkeys and other livestock, and any foreigners living among you. All your male and female servants must rest as you do" (Deuteronomy 5:12-14).
When I read those verses, I was struck by the last part of verse 14, which specifies that the servants must rest, too. It wasn't a case of God telling the Israelites to rest, while letting their servants (at least some of whom would have been foreigners) do all the work that needed to be done. Nor was it a day of rest for the rich, while the poorer servants continued as usual, getting the work done. Instead, it was a command that everyone take a day to rest. He even specified that the animals were to have a day off!
Here in Ontario, we've been unable to worship together in church for a few weeks now - and our Sundays are DEFINITELY feeling far more restful! We have breakfast and watch church on TV, and then do things flr the rest of the day that we wouldn't do on "work" days - making a puzzle, or reading for pleasure. It's been really nice (but we miss seeing people at church..).
ReplyDeleteAnd your mention of Jewish people having "foreigners" doing their work on the Sabbath brought back a story that my mom told me years ago. As a young woman, my grandmother lived next to a Jewish family - and she was hired to do their "work" on the Sabbath. The main meal would be prepared the day before, but Grandma would have to heat it for them, dish it up and wash the dishes - and even turn on the lights in the morning and turn them off later. Obeying the letter of the law...