Sabbath Thought - Sabbath Traditions

There were times when I was very young that I saw the Sabbath as an encumbrance.  In this view, I saw the Sabbath as an interruption to what I could be doing.  This is not an uncommon view for many who come into contact with the Sabbath and then decide the rest of their life is more important.  Fortunately for me, my family had some traditions that were created to make the Sabbath even more special.  These traditions became a meaningful part of God's Sabbath because we participated as a family in them.

Do you have Sabbath traditions that make the Sabbath special for you or your family?  One tradition my family had was to have a special meal on Friday evening.  Sometimes mom would even get out the special china to make the meal all that much more special.  I remember many times special breakfasts on Sabbath morning as well.  We were not in a hurry so we had time to slow down to contemplate the Sabbath and to spend extra time together.

Traditions are good when they remind us of things worth remembering, and when they don't take the place of other things God tells us to do.  Traditions can help bind together a family or a nation.  The common participation in those traditions can create a unity of purpose and vision.  As a nation, we collectively set aside certain days to remember events or to acknowledge notable individuals in our history.

So, what kind of traditions could you or your family establish that can add meaning to the Sabbath?  In addition to the physical items I already mentioned, perhaps dedicating a set amount of time to discussing Biblical topics - questions from personal reading in the previous week, discussion of last week's sermonette and/or sermon, or working on memorizing Bible verses.  How about dedicating time to writing a card of encouragement to a member mentioned in the prayer requests?  Maybe a week is set aside to visit a member who is house-bound.  The tradition is less important than the fact that it reminds us of God's way of life and the amazing calling He has given to each of us.

The instruction in the 4th Commandment is that we do no "work" because the Sabbath is holy time.  The word "work" has the meanings of employment or doing business.  We understand this, in general, to mean we don't engage in work that we can do the other six days.  Making meaningful traditions for the Sabbath are not meant to occupy our time until the Sabbath is over, rather they are to add meaning and reinforce the holiness of the day.  Do our actions reflect God's character and put into practice His instruction for us to become holy as well (Leviticus 19:2, 1 Peter 1:16)?

In the end, the best "tradition" is to make sure we worship God on His Sabbath day and to honor Him in all that we do.

I wish you a wonderful Sabbath,

Dan Dowd

2 July, 2021