Lenten Devotional – March 9, 2023

Thursday, March 9, 2023
Four Thousand Weeks – Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman
Lenten Devotional by Georgie Bever

“Look at me!
Look at me!
Look at me NOW!
It is fun to have fun.
But you have to know how.”
The Cat in the Hat, Dr. Seuss, copyright, 1957

I found this quote on page 152 of Four Thousand Weeks – Time Management for Mortals.    As I read the quote, it all began to make sense.  It is “fun” to experience the Sabbath, but you have to know how.

Most people think they can just stop working, doing chores, getting things done, finishing their to-do list.  But it will be a lot harder than you think.  Even if you fill your Sabbath with going to the church service at 8 a.m., going to the adult seminar at 9 a.m. (or is it 9:30), and going to brunch with the family and some friends, you are still going to be home before 1 p.m. Then what? 

When I was a child, it was much easier to experience the Sabbath.  Almost everything was closed on Sunday.  The hospitals were open (of course).  You could go visit a sick or injured friend.  The clothing stores and shoe shops, sporting goods stores were closed.  The grocery stores were closed.  The gas stations were closed, with only a few exceptions near the highways.  The only thing on TV, if you had one, was church services and, in the evening, Ed Sullivan or 60 Minutes.  The bars and pool halls were closed until 5 or 6 p.m.  Liquor stores were closed.  Even the libraries were closed.  Experiencing the Sabbath was made easy by laws and public expectations. 

In Colorado Springs today it will take some forethought and determination to actually celebrate the Sabbath.  What should your Sabbath look like?  Remember, the Sabbath is for YOU to rest, relax, spend time with God and spend time showing his love to your family and neighbors. 

Should it be filled with a to-do list of chores you didn’t do on Saturday because you were too busy doing the weekly chores and not all of them got done?  No, it should NOT be filled with chores. What about your kids?  Should they do homework on Sunday?  The Bible even tells us that our slaves and the foreigners living among us should be allowed to rest on the Sabbath.  Exodus 23:12.

Prayer thoughts:
Spend time in conversation with God and Jesus talking about what they want your Sabbath to be like.