More Sundays When I Was a Kid

I was age 9 before I gave much thought to how my family observed Sundays. My mom and I were looking at her flower garden. I noticed our neighbor was doing more than looking at his flowers. He was gardening! This surprised me. I figured everyone observed Sundays the way we did. So I asked mom why our neighbor was doing yard work on a Sunday. She graciously said,

“Maybe he finds gardening enjoyable.”

When I became an adult I had to decide how to observe Sundays. For awhile, as I raised my own children, I continued down the familiar paths; accept for the ban on certain recreation, such as bike riding. I thought this was excessive.

Then at age 45 I became sick with Fibromyalgia. Sundays after that changed. I could no longer carry out many of the traditions I had grown-up with. I had to rethink what Sunday was all about.

Sunday is about two things according to the forth commandment:

1)      “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.”¹ Holy means, “set apart for God.” Sunday is a day for God, set apart from the rest of week.

2)      “For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested the seventh day.” Sunday is a day for rest. Human beings need rest. God gave us the night so we cease from our daily labors. He gave us Sundays so we will break from our weekly occupations. Rest is a God-given gift.

I loved Sundays when I was a kid. When I became ill this was time to “put away childish things”² and to grow in my understanding of God and His ways.

Here’s the glitch. I thought that by going to church on Sunday morning and taking a nap on Sunday afternoon, I had the forth commandment covered. Boy, had I missed the point! TBC…

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¹ Exodus 20:8,11 NIV, 1978
² 1 Corinthians 13:11 KJV

Related: Sundays When I Was a Kid
Related: Church Lady Becomes a Christian

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Lena Rae
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