Today is Sunday. I have been told Sunday is a day of rest. Actually God told Moses about resting on the Sabbath, in 1446 B.C. after the Exodus from Egypt. The Jews had crossed the Red Sea and camped at the foot of Mount Sinai. You can read all about the dramatic story of Moses climbing a mountain in the book of Exodus in the Bible. That’s where God met Moses on Mount Sinai and gave him The Ten Commandments on a stone.
This is the Fourth Commandment about keeping the Sabbath holy. I call it “The Commandment To Nap”
8 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work,10 but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. Exodus 8-11
I have always been amazed, that God rested. He is so powerful, and strong, yet even God took a nap. God made the world; He made people and bugs and animals. He created the Heavens and the Moon, and trees and frogs and stars. God rested on the seventh day.
How did God rest? Did God lay down in his garden and imagine animals in the clouds? Did He take a nice relaxing walk and sing songs with His birds? Did God go swimming? Did God take a nap? I know He didn’t make any stars on the Sabbath. I know He didn’t go and make one more tree, or make another green frog. God rested on the seventh day.
I know there have been people arguing for years about which day is the Sabbath, and what does rest really mean. Is the Sabbath Saturday or Sunday? Do the old rules still apply? May I mow my lawn on Sunday? Is it okay if I stick a load of laundry in on Sunday. But I work on Sunday! I am a single mom, I have to pay the bills.
If you have to work on Sunday, work, and then come home and take a nap. Rest your mind from worry.
I have mowed my lawn on a Sunday. It was supposed to rain the next week, it had rained the week before, and the grass was already 8 inches tall. I mowed the grass on Sunday. I have stuck a load of sheets in the washing machine on Sunday because a cat barfed on my bed.
Laura Ingalls Wilder’s father Charles Philip Ingalls, did not work on Sunday. He chopped wood for six days and on Sunday’s he rested.
This morning I work in the nursery at my church. I hold babies and change diapers. Tonight I have a play practice. This afternoon I will take a nap.
Will you take a nap today?
