Bundle Up Kids

2.3.2011

Exodus 35:3 3 "Do not light a fire in any of your dwellings on the Sabbath day.” NIV

God seemed to be pretty serious about the Sabbath – “For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day shall be your holy day, a Sabbath of rest to the Lord. Whoever does any work on it must be put to death.” And then He told Moses, don’t even let them light fires in their dwellings… I thought: bundle up kids!

I also wondered, how long that (the no fire part) lasted? And then I thought, I wonder what their attitude became when the Sabbath rolled around on a cold and blustery day? And then I thought, I wonder how many years went by before the light wisps of  morning fire smoke began to appear above their houses? And then I thought, I wonder if we today could be so disciplined?

Maybe they found loopholes: I didn’t light a fire today, I just kept yesterday’s fire burning – isn't that okay? A black fire pit can look mighty lifeless on a cold, windy rainy day…

What does it take to keep the Lord’s commands when they are less than acceptable to my creature comforts and then they last way longer than my discomfort allows? What does it take to speak the truth in love – no matter what? What does it take to love my neighbor as myself – even when just the sight of him makes me cringe in irritation? I don’t think the Sabbaths went away, I think we just quit keeping them – fire pits were made to keep burning weren’t they?

Focusing with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength is the point. Dying to self and keeping relationship with God is the point. Focusing on something other than creature comforts is the point. God is more than my comforts and the trade off of going without something in order to be with Him is not a bad thing…

Lord God,

May Your Name be the center of my life and the Word upon my lips. May I focus upon You this day and cease from fretting about the world at least once in a given week. Life is more that… amen.