Diggertoy: I think you have posted up just about every pertinent text from the Bible that addresses the Sabbath. Thank you!
I just wanted to touch on a few points about the Sabbath, which I think are important. Keeping the Sabbath is not a leagalistic thing. God gave us this day for 2 main reasons. 1) Rest (which is fairly self explanatory) 2) Relationships. God wants us to strengthen our relationships, and he has provided this day to ensure that we are able to do this. It is not just about our relationship with Him, but also with others. Marriages are failing left and right. Children are turning away from their parents. The only way to mainatin and develop a good relationship is by spening time with people. God gave us this day so that we may put aside all our chores for one day, and focus on the relationships that we have with our family and friends. This will provide us with fulfillment, because our relationships will be stronger and more secure. We will have the joy of knowing that we are secure in them. This allows us to put forth greater effort on the 6 days that we work, because we are not worried about our relationship with others.
The Sabbath is not to be a burden, but is meant to be a day to look forward to. It is a blessing, and make it a day that is enjoyable.
The few "rules" about the Sabbath are really simple. We should not engage in commerce (buying or selling) on the Sabbath, because that is "work". If you run out of something that is vitaly important (Baby food, diapers, etc, it is not a big deal, but we should try and avoid these situations). We should try to prepare as much as possible on Friday so that we do not have to work on the Sabbath. In Exodus, God would give enough manna for each day, except Friday, when he would provide double, so that the Israelites could prepare for the Sabbath. There is not really much more to it.
So what are the practical ways we can keep the Sabbath?
-Go to church "It was Jesus's custom to go to the Synagogue on the Sabbath" Luke 4:16
-Try to focus on the goodness of God, and all the blessings you have recieved.
-Take time to read the scriptures, and other texts that lead us to Him.
-Fellowship with family, church and friends.
-Service: Feed the poor, visit the sick, Help the needy (Remember it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath)
-Nature: As mentioned before, Nature is Gods "other" book. Go for a hike, go wheeling, get out and see the natural beauty that God has created for us to enjoy.
I hope this helps clarify what "keeping the Sabbath Holy" means. It is not a leagalistic thing, and it is not meant to be a burden. It is really meant to be a blessing for us so that we can rest and focus on the good in our lives.
Erik
