Sabbath Meditation #13 – Are We Making the Most of It?

by Kelly McDonald, Jr.

“15 Therefore watch carefully how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise, 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15-16, KLV).

“If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, and the holy of The LORD honorable; and honor it, not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure, nor speaking your own words, then you will delight yourself in The LORD, and I will make you to ride on the high places of the earth, and I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father;”  for The LORD’s mouth has spoken it” (Isaiah 58:13-14, KLV).

When we go to work the first six days of the week, we try to make the most of our time. We focus on being honest, hard-working employees. The Sabbath is 14.2% of our week and it last 24 hours. Are we really making the most of the opportunity set before us?

We were made by God to engage Him in a dedicated, focused relationship. While we should do this every day, the Sabbath has a special, intimate connection to God that no other day of the week has available. The Sabbath rest is an innate part of the image of God built into our very being. We are connected to God in a special way that no other day of the week provides for us.

One question to ask ourselves is this: Are we making the most of this powerful, special time given to us by God? The Sabbath is a once in a week opportunity to satisfy one of the deepest longings within us.

Isaiah 58:13-14 are great verses for us to consider as we gauge the focus of our Sabbath observance. When it comes to our Sabbath behavior, ask yourself some basic questions: Am I about to engage in an activity that I could do the other six days of the week? Am I doing this solely because I desire to do it (without consideration to God)? Am I just passing the time? Am I just seeking to be entertained?

We only have so many days to live on this earth and only so many Sabbaths. Considering these things my dear friends, let us consider if we are making the most of our Sabbath observance. While we must certainly rest, let us not pass the time by in idleness or mere passivity. Let us make the most out of every Sabbath, for it may be our last.

Consider that our God redeems the time among the evil days we live in.

I encourage you to meditate on ways that you can focus more on engaging God rather than letting the time pass by. Consider ways to make the most of it.

Selah.

Kelly McDonald, Jr, BSA President www.biblesabbath.org