Daily Encouragement: Honoring God

Right after "be holy," we come across two more commands in the same sentence...

"Each of you must show respect for your mother and father, and you must always observe my Sabbath days of rest, for I, the Lord, am your God." (Leviticus 19:3)

These both go back to Exodus 20 and the ten commandments, and they actually deal not only with our relationship with God and our parents but also how we benefit by obeying them.

The first regarding our parents carries a blessing with it: "Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God will give you." (Exodus 20:12) We are to respect and honor our parents because of who they are--not because they are good parents or love us or have taught us well. Just because they are our parents. Honoring and respect when you are adults and out on your own, as my husband put it last night while talking to our children, looks different that when your are younger. As an adult you are not required to do everything your parents say, but it honors them to seek their advice, to listen to their counsel and to forgive if you have been hurt by them.

The second regarding rest on the Sabbath shows honor to God: "Six days a week are set apart for your daily duties and regular work, but the seventh day is a day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God." (Exodus 20:9-10) And we find the design for the Sabbath wasn't for God to set arbitrary rules to keep us in line in Mark 2:27 when Jesus said "The Sabbath was made to benefit people and not people benefit the Sabbath."

We see from both of these commands that while they do honor God and our parents, they are really more for our benefit, health and well-being than the ones we honor.

Here's a personal example of application:

Last year when I was working on laying the foundation for the women's ministry at New Hope, I knew I needed to address my personal life as well, specifically, I had to ask the question, "How am I going to keep a Sabbath day each week if I was working on many Saturdays and Sundays?" And, "How am I going to teach my children how to do it if I was working on their Sabbath?" I had to go "outside the box" as many people who work all different kinds of hours on various days have had to do. I decided after a few weeks of prayer, thought and trial and error, that my Sabbath day would not necessarily be the same day every week, and I didn't have to spend the day doing nothing, but I needed to find something that I truly enjoyed and that would rejuvenate me (that was not tied to the work of the ministry).

Because I am doing this, I feel a greater peace and see God's blessing all around. I find that when I have chosen not to have one during a certain "busy" week, I am dying for my day of rest the next week, and it is not missed again.

All this to say that the Sabbath will not look the same for everyone. If you are required to work on Sunday, this does not mean that you give up keeping a Sabbath. It was created for your benefit; God designed you to need it.

Today, I encourage you to seek God and ask Him first, "What can I do to show respect for my parents this week?" And second, reflect on how you keep a Sabbath day of rest. You will be honoring God and yourself by obeying these commands.

by Wendie Beddingfield

picture by Robert Walker