Keeping It Holy

Keeping It Holy
Biblical Priority #5 - Service
by Amy G.

13“Keep the Sabbath day holy. Don’t pursue your own interest on that day, but enjoy the Sabbath and speak of it in delight as the LORD’S holy day. Honor the Sabbath in everything you do on that day, and don’t follow your own desires or talk idly. 14 Then the Lord will be your delight. I will give you great honor and satisfy you with the inheritance I promised to your ancestor Jacob. I, the LORD, have spoken!” Isaiah 58:13-14 NIV
Did you notice that verse 13 is a command and that verse 14 is a promise? The Lord has given us a command to set one day apart to worship Him. One day, not one morning, but the whole day. I do attend church every Sunday, except for times of travel and contagious illnesses. But, do I pursue my own interests the rest of the day? Let me think… yes. Am I making every effort to enjoy the day with my family by doing things that center around Christ? Uhhh… sometimes. Do I spend that day having a special time of prayer, sharing with my husband what the Lord has been refining in me, talking with my children about growing their relationships with the Lord, doing a family devotional, serving someone in need, or mentoring another woman in the church. Hmmm…. seldom. You can chalk this one up as a failure for me; I am too busy worshiping my idol of BUSYNESS. I seem to find all kinds of household projects to get done that day. Most of them don’t even include my husband or children.

The Lord also gives us a promise: After we keep the Sabbath holy, then we will delight in Him and be blessed by Him. I want that. I want to delight in Him and be blessed. I want to attend church on a Sunday morning and feel free to worship Him, spirit to spirit, because it is His day and He is worthy of it! I want to live for Christ and all He asks of me in return is that I love Him by building a relationship with Him. Done.
“For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better." Philippians 1:20-21 NIV

CHALLENGE: When you go to church this week, worship like no one is watching!!!