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The Most Ignored Commandment?

  • Ryan Duncan What topic related to Christianity, faith, and the Bible is trending online and in social media today?
  • Updated Feb 23, 2015

Pop quiz: Do you know the 10 Commandments? It’s surprising how few Christians can actually name all ten. We all know “Thou shalt not kill, lie, or steal”, if you’ve got a sharp memory you might remember “Thou shalt not commit adultery, covet, or dishonor your parents”, and if you read your Bible you know God firmly states that “I am the Lord thy God, thou shalt have no other gods, and no graven images or likenesses”. Unfortunately, there’s one commandment a lot of Christians tend to forget, or worse, openly ignore.     

Remember the Sabbath day”.

Our culture is on the go 24/7. As we try to stretch what little time we have, it becomes dangerously easy to put God at the back of our priorities. According to Nancy Sleeth and Relevant Magazine, this can have serious consequences. Sleeth continues by encouraging her readers to create that time for God, and even offers this advice,      

“Block off Sabbath Time on Your Calendar.

Here’s a simple truth: It won’t happen unless you schedule it. For most people, Sabbath is celebrated on Sunday. For church leaders, hospital workers and people who provide emergency services, Sabbath might have to be moved to another day of the week.

Because our ministry requires frequent travel, I use Google calendar to schedule our Sabbaths at least four months in advance. This lets our staff know when we will be offline and allows them to plan accordingly.”

“Prepare Joyfully.

In today’s 24/7 world, Sabbath-keeping is countercultural; it doesn’t just happen by default. If you long to lay down your heavy burdens, you’ll need to be more intentional about your time the other six days of the week.

On Sabbath eve, I clean out my email inbox, finish chores and run errands with an almost giddy joy. I also plan ahead for holy fun, seeking out new places for a hike or picking out a book to read aloud with my husband.”

Sleeth isn’t the only one trying to raise awareness about the Sabbath. Prominent Christian leaders and authors like Russell Moore and Whitney Hopler have also expressed their concern. As believers in Christ, we cannot neglect our time with God. Whether it’s in a Sunday morning service, small group Bible study, or s solitary moment of prayer, God desires to be with us. Don’t we desire to be with him?

The 10 Commandments were important to the Jews because they represented God’s will for them in the simplest of forms. Now those commandments fall to us Christians, and it’s our job to respect and remember them. Even the ones we occasionally forget.

Do you have trouble keeping the Sabbath day? Share your thoughts below in the comments.

 

*Ryan Duncan is the Entertainment Editor for Crosswalk.com

**Published 2/23/2015