In the beginning God made the seventh day and put a special blessing in it for humanity’s benefit. With many of us leading hectic lives we need a blessed rest day, so it’s a great shame the Sabbath has become the poor cousin of the Ten Commandments.

It’s the most modified (apart from the anti-idolatry one, surprisingly omitted from the catechisms of two major denominations). It’s the only one some say Jesus broke. He wouldn’t be the unblemished Saviour of the world if that were true.  It’s the only one it seems okay to ask others to break for our benefit, yet ironically it’s the only one of the ten specifically forbidding this (Exodus 20:8-11). It seems to be compromised more than the others when pressure comes or even when there’s no pressure at all. It’s also the only one of the ten specifically referred to at Creation.

Christians rightly give utmost importance to having a good relationship with God. Again, it’s so ironic the Sabbath is the poor cousin when it is the most relevant of the Ten Commandments to the cultivation of our relationship with God. Of the ten, only the Sabbath is specifically designed for this purpose. That it has become the poor cousin is therefore most peculiar indeed.

Getting much needed rest from our daily grind, finding special time to worship God, learning more of Him, and being together with our brethren and families are very important blessings Let’s not miss these blessings!