Sunday is a special day. It is the Lord's Day and God says that it is holy. When I was a small child, I can remember Sunday being a day that was set apart, different than the other days of the week. After my husband and I were married for a few years, we chose to make Sunday special in our family.
"Six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work.
But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God:in it thou shalt not do any work . . .
Wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day,
and hallowed it."
~Exodus 20:9-11~
You might not remember Sunday ever being much different than the other days of the week. You might not even agree with the things I am sharing about Sunday.
Did you know that stores weren't always open on Sundays? If you were born in the 1980's, you might not remember the time when no one could shop on Sunday. In the 1970's, stores started opening on Sundays. In the 1960's, even in big cities, everything was closed except gas stations!! Our country was founded on Christian principles and Sunday was a day of rest, even for people who kept the Ten Commandments, yet weren't saved.
Today, we are faced with the choice of whether or not to shop on Sunday. You had no choice prior to the 1970's....it took no conviction. Now, if you don't shop on Sunday, it is a choice, or a conviction.
There are some real benefits of not shopping on Sunday. Sunday is a day for fellowship and hospitality with believers. It is a day of rest...not necessarily a day for a nap, although when my children were little I usually took a nap on Sundays. If you plan ahead, you won't have to do your errands and grocery shopping on Sunday, you can take care of buying your food prior to the weekend so you are prepared.
It is more common, now, for a person to have to work on Sunday. It has become harder and harder for lower paying jobs to give Sundays off, probably because retail stores are all open. If you have ever worked a job where you must work on Sundays, you will notice, you don't really take another day for rest.
In reality, it doesn't work out that way. I used to work Sundays because I cared for Special Needs girls in an institutional setting. They lived there, so someone had to work. I was really (really) young and had no seniority. I can tell you from this experience that I never had a 'down'day. Since then, I not only choose to be a stay-at-home-mom, but I have chosen not to work on Sundays. I have enjoyed Making Sundays Special for my family.
Besides Sunday being a wonderful day for fellowship, Sunday is a great day for ministry. If you consider what your gifts are, you can easily find outlets to share them on Sundays. Whether it is teaching Sunday School, a ladies' study, or taking a meal to a shut-in, you can find a way to show the love of Christ after church.
For our family, we participate in a brass band and choir, often visiting other churches on Sunday Evening. For us it is a full day of blessings. (Disclaimer: if you have little children, this may not be the season for you to be ministering outside of your family. Relax. Take a nap. Enjoy your family.)
For our family, we participate in a brass band and choir, often visiting other churches on Sunday Evening. For us it is a full day of blessings. (Disclaimer: if you have little children, this may not be the season for you to be ministering outside of your family. Relax. Take a nap. Enjoy your family.)
Sunday is the best day of the week!! Since I have been Making Sunday Special, I have looked forward to Sundays each week. This is something I have chosen to do. I have found it to be a day when I can meditate on God's Word, or the messages from church without having a cluttered mind with how I must clean the house or grocery shop after I get home from church. I really think God has both our physical and mental health in mind when He gives instruction in the Bible to rest from our work on Sundays.
If you are younger than me, or not raised back when Sundays was considered a day of rest, you may be hearing this for the very first time. I accept where you are 'at' because that is what God does with us. If you just take one thing I am suggesting and try that for a month just to see if it Makes Sundays Special in your life, I will be thankful!!
Do you think 'Making Sunday Special' by choosing not to shop or clean could make a difference in your life??
I'd LOVE you to leave a comment!!
Since I live out 'in-the-sticks'... friends, like you are a long ways away!!
Sooo, I'd love you to follow me on:
~Judith~
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When I was growing up, even though the village did not have many Christians, Sunday was a day when all the shops were closed. Also, there were no ferry boats crossing the loch (before the Ballachulish Bridge was erected). No-one hung out washings or did any work on a Sunday unless you worked in a profession like nursing.
ReplyDeleteThere is still an island off the west coast of Scotland where no ferries are allowed to cross the waters from the mainland on a Sunday and everything is closed down for trading until the following Monday (Island of Lewis).
I do believe it is important to observe the Sabbath as a day of rest as it was originally intended by God. He made us and knows what is best for our body and soul.
I lived in a little town when I was a child, and that town pretty much rolled up into a little ball on Sunday. Nothing was open. I remember a girl whose parents wouldn't let her go anywhere on Saturday evening, so that she could stay home and prepare to be rested and focused on Sunday. I felt sorry for her, lol!
ReplyDeleteWe allowed our kids to go out on Saturday nights but we asked that they be home by midnight. We don't like them being out late the night before, makes them too tired the next day, haha! Last night our 19 year old went bowling with friends and was home before midnight! Thanks so much for linking up to Making Your Home Sing Monday!
Hi Judith,
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your post! I grew up when the stores weren't open on Sundays. I still make Sunday a day for the Lord, a time to worship in His house, and no shopping or cleaning on Sundays. I make it a day of rest and a day to honor Him. Sometimes we visit friends or family. I enjoy my Sundays when I make it a day to honor the Lord.
Blessings to you,
Gla
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