Friday, 13 March 2020

Set apart for Adonai

Tweet

"On six days work will get done; but the seventh day is Shabbat, for complete rest, set apart for ADONAI. Whoever does any work on the day of Shabbat must be put to death. The people of Isra'el are to keep the Shabbat, to observe Shabbat through all their generations as a perpetual covenant." (Exodus 31:15-16, CJB)

It's lovely having a day of Shabbat (and thank G-d indeed that we have one day in seven for some much needed rest!), but maybe we get so caught up in resting physically, going to congregation and catching up with our friends - all good things - that we miss a key phrase: "set apart for Adonai."

The phrase "set apart" is translated in other versions as "holy" or "consecrated". Spending time relaxing and with each other is good, but we shouldn't get so caught up in our mundane, weekly Shabbat "tasks" that we forget that the day is meant to be honoured as holy time. Maybe this week we should spend some time enquiring the L-rd as to how He would like us to make the day holy for Him by pursuing His affairs?

"If you refrain from trampling the sabbath, from pursuing your affairs on My holy day; if you call the sabbath 'delight,' the L-rd's holy day 'honored'; and if you honor it and go not your ways nor look to your affairs, nor strike bargains - then you can seek the favor of the L-rd. I will set you astride the heights of the earth, And let you enjoy the heritage of your father Jacob - for the mouth of the L-rd has spoken." (Isaiah 58:13-14, TNK)