The Sabbath Day

One of the ten commandments concerns sabbath day observance.  As recorded in Exodus 20:8-11:

8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

 9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:

 10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God:in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

I grew up in a home where the principles of honoring the sabbath day were taught by the example of my parents.  Each Sunday was filled with church attendance, rest, and family time.  Sunday was a time when we visited with extended family members in our home or theirs.  Looking back I found those days were as relaxing as any I have ever experienced.  Certainly a time of rest from the chores and duties of all of the other days of the week.

Even the small town I grew up in was a great example of sabbath day observance.  Businesses were closed on Sunday.  In the city park during summer months a band concert was held every Sunday evening.  Families would take blankets to spread on the grass of the park to sit and enjoy the music.

We certainly live in a much different day.  Now there are very few businesses who close on Sunday.   Business owners report that their busiest day of the week is Sunday.  As a society we have certainly lost the spirit of taking a day of rest.

In April 2015 Russell M Nelson, President of the Quorum of 12 Apostles spoke of sabbath day observance.  He said: 

"I am intrigued by the words of Isaiah, who called the Sabbath “a delight.”1 Yet I wonder, is the Sabbath really a delight for you and for me?

I first found delight in the Sabbath many years ago when, as a busy surgeon, I knew that the Sabbath became a day for personal healing. By the end of each week, my hands were sore from repeatedly scrubbing them with soap, water, and a bristle brush. I also needed a breather from the burden of a demanding profession. Sunday provided much-needed relief.

What did the Savior mean when He said that “the sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath”?2 I believe He wanted us to understand that the Sabbath was His gift to us, granting real respite from the rigors of daily life and an opportunity for spiritual and physical renewal. God gave us this special day, not for amusement or daily labor but for a rest from duty, with physical and spiritual relief."

I can not think of a single person I know who would not welcome the chance to have a time of resting.  A time to have some relief from the daily grind that we face day in and day out. Proper sabbath observance can be one of the greatest blessings in our lives if we will allow it into our lives.

Will you join with me in finding ways to make the sabbath a delight in your life?  I know I will find my life be fuller, richer, and peaceful if I will do so.  And I know you will find added blessings to you and your family if you will give the sabbath day the proper attention that the Lord has asked.

You can watch all of President Nelson's talk on the sabbath day here:

Submitted by:  James Tanner