Day of Rest

Everyone knows Sunday is supposed to be the day of rest. God set the standard for it when He rested from all the work He had done in creating the heavens and the earth in Genesis. So why do few people actually do it?

In my mind, Sunday should be a day especially set aside to recuperate, and to spend time in celebration and worship with fellow believers in Christ. Believe it or not, that's mostly what helps me to prepare for the coming week. I look forward to listening to God's Word as interpreted by my pastor or Sunday School teacher, sitting in the sanctuary singing praise to the Lord, and enjoying the communion of my friends in church. I look forward to resting from a week of work on Sunday because I see it as an opportunity to refresh my mental perspective and re-evaluate my inner focus in preparation for the week to follow. It's what sets Sunday apart from the week.

Yet quite often I meet people who tell me they go into Monday tired, drained, and generally unprepared for the work they must accomplish over the next five days. And the common reason for it is that they misused Sunday. Either they spent it playing catch-up with all their homework they could've finished Friday night or Saturday, or they avoid church completely because they feel it's a waste of their precious freedom. I truly feel sorry for them.

Now, I'm not saying I've been perfect in honoring Sunday the way I should. Believe me, I've been guilty on more occasions than I care to remember of doing most of my work that day when I could've easily finished it one or two days prior. I've woken up on Sunday mornings in the past without any enthusiasm for attending church. I've had to set my attitude straight about Sunday plenty of times, but I'm grateful that God is there to do it each time.

With that said, today was a very pleasant Sunday. I had a nice Sunday School with one of the associate teachers presenting a lesson on what has become a very inspiring Biblical passage for me: Jesus meeting the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4. I've taken a lot of meaning from His words to the woman in comparing her physical water with the spiritual water He offers. Even today, we can fill our hearts with the water of the world, thinking we can achieve instant gratification and self-worth, but Jesus says, "You'll thirst again." Everything on this earth is finite and will someday turn to dust and crumble away. Only God's Word and our souls will last forever. That is why we must repent of our sins and accept the healing water that Christ offers to cleanse ourselves in His eyes.

I felt so happy that I was able to respond several times to my teacher this morning. I could never do that in the past. I feel that God is making a new creature out of me, and the best thing about it is, He's not finished with me yet! I can hardly wait to see how He will use me in His will as I continue with the life's work He has given me.

Song of the Day: Michael W. Smith - "Healing Rain"

Quote of the Day: "Dave, your car purrs like a kitten!" - Gran (Heh. I'm glad my good ol' grandmother isn't fooled by the exterior garnet of my car. Behind that wheel sits a full-blooded tiger!)

Verse of the Day: "Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." - John 4:13-14