Daily Office Readings for Saturday of the 1st Week of Epiphany: year 2
Morning, Psalms 20 and 21:1-7; Evening, Psalms 110:1-5, 116 and 117;
Genesis 6:9 to 22; Hebrews 4:1 to 13; John 2:13 to 22;
“So then, a Sabbath rest still remains for the people of God;’ (Hebrews 4:9).
Today, Saturday, is our God-assigned, Sabbath Rest Day, a gift from God. We should attend to it in a contemplative manner.
When I served in the Marines in Saudi Arabia, during the liberation of Kuwait, Desert Shield and Desert Storm, those of us who were regular, Church-going Christians counted the weeks there by our Sundays. Two Sunday traditions took place where we were. First, the Navy chaplain came to our maintenance compound to conduct a Church Service (work). I remember that I led the Lord’s Prayer when invited to do so, and helping those who wanted to participate but didn’t know the words (work). Second, our mess hall (dining facility), prepared pancakes for breakfast! This was a big deal, and also work. During this non-liturgical breaking of the “pancake” bread, we got to see others with whom we came over with but do not work with on a daily basis. We celebrated each week as time passed until we boarded planes for home. For us Christians, worship is work regardless of how it is expressed. The Sabbath, however, as God intended it, is Rest.
I have matured theologically since that time, or at least I think I have. Now, after careful study of scripture, I believe the God-given day for all of us is Saturday, the seventh day of the week. I still worship on Sundays but I think there is a difference between worship and rest. In my maturation I realize that there is always a need for emergency personnel to be ready to act. The military, the police, hospital staff and all first responders must be ready to respond to serious needs. And perhaps every other Sabbath should be given them. Jesus never removed God’s gift of the Sabbath. This Rest we enter is not ours alone. It is God’s Rest. And we are invited to be at rest with God as often as we can. That day is Today!
I will close this blog page for today with the closing words of our Hebrews writer for today for you to ponder: “For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not speak later about another day. So then, a Sabbath rest still remains for the people of God; for those who enter God’s rest also cease from their labors as God did from his. Let us therefore make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one may fall through such disobedience as theirs. ”(Hebrews 4: 8 to11). We should celebrate each Sabbath until we are taken to our eternal Sabbath home.
Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools.
As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John
onewhoponders 