11 July | Teens
«“If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, From doing your pleasure on My holy day, And call the Sabbath a delight, The holy day of the Lord honorable, And shall honor Him, not doing your own ways, Nor finding your own pleasure, Nor speaking your own words,» Isaiah 58: 13
The Sabbath is a very special day, a gift that God has given us. But many people have questions about what they can and can't do on that day. In the Bible, in Isaiah 58:13 and 14, God directs us on how we should treat this day. This text has a “principle” of the Sabbath, that is, you can apply it to various situations. From these verses we learn that the Sabbath is not just a day of rest but a day to connect more deeply with God and those around us.
First, God asks us to consider the Sabbath a “holy day.” This means that it is a day set apart from the others, a special day dedicated to Him. You see, the Sabbath is a day just like any other. The sun rises. It can rain. It can be hot. The difference is that the 24 hours of that day are holy! It's not a day for us to do the same things we do during the week, like work or worry about chores. It is a day to rest, reflect on God's blessings and spend quality time with God, our family and friends.
The great principle behind the Sabbath is: On that day we do not do our will. It is not a day to worry about what we want, but about what God wants. It's not a family day, it's a Lord's day. We need to learn to stop going “our way.” Then, this day will become a great delight and bring us many blessings! For it is the Lord who speaks!
Take Action
To welcome the next Sabbath, plan to do something different. How about calling some friends from school and cooking something that the whole family can enjoy together? This can help remind you of the delights of that special day.