We live in a time when Sabbath rest hardly happens, even when we sleep. But before you blame the wired 24/7 world take note that Isaiah 58 is written to people living in the sixth century before God engaged the world through the Christ and yet they appear to be plenty busy on the day God set aside for rest. It is what occupies one’s ultimate concern that matters to God so if your wired world is all about you in the same way that serving one’s own interests in the sixth century before “Silent Night” superseded the Sabbath then God is not pleased. So we who celebrate God’s mercy to us should not be surprised that the way God would have us keep the Sabbath is to be merciful to others. Offer your food to the hungry. Satisfy the needs of the afflicted. Stop pointing the finger and refrain from speaking evil. Sabbath rest is important to one’s well-being but resting from Sabbath work is not.
Monday, August 19, 2013
Pentecost 14 C - Isaiah 58:9-14
Isaiah 58:9-14
We live in a time when Sabbath rest hardly happens, even when we sleep. But before you blame the wired 24/7 world take note that Isaiah 58 is written to people living in the sixth century before God engaged the world through the Christ and yet they appear to be plenty busy on the day God set aside for rest. It is what occupies one’s ultimate concern that matters to God so if your wired world is all about you in the same way that serving one’s own interests in the sixth century before “Silent Night” superseded the Sabbath then God is not pleased. So we who celebrate God’s mercy to us should not be surprised that the way God would have us keep the Sabbath is to be merciful to others. Offer your food to the hungry. Satisfy the needs of the afflicted. Stop pointing the finger and refrain from speaking evil. Sabbath rest is important to one’s well-being but resting from Sabbath work is not.
We live in a time when Sabbath rest hardly happens, even when we sleep. But before you blame the wired 24/7 world take note that Isaiah 58 is written to people living in the sixth century before God engaged the world through the Christ and yet they appear to be plenty busy on the day God set aside for rest. It is what occupies one’s ultimate concern that matters to God so if your wired world is all about you in the same way that serving one’s own interests in the sixth century before “Silent Night” superseded the Sabbath then God is not pleased. So we who celebrate God’s mercy to us should not be surprised that the way God would have us keep the Sabbath is to be merciful to others. Offer your food to the hungry. Satisfy the needs of the afflicted. Stop pointing the finger and refrain from speaking evil. Sabbath rest is important to one’s well-being but resting from Sabbath work is not.
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