Rev. Dave referred to Blue Laws, child labor, and the impact of our computerized world. Some points he made:
- Blue Laws "protected" Sundays for Christians, but now that most State legislatures allow businesses to be open on Sundays, guess who's patronizing them? Christians.
- Sunday school started as education of children on their only non-work day.
- Computers were supposed to give us more free time. Instead, they we have let them get us to do even more work in the same period of time. We are busier than ever, even on Sundays.
- We have increased the amount of business work we do, even taking more of it home.
- We need to find the courage to "Just say no" to added work.
- Learn to accept God's gift of rest.
- Slow down, stop, and let your cup fill with true inner peace -- Shalom.
When asked by a rabbi why he was rushing by, a man replied, "I'm running to work to make a living."
"Are you sure", asked the rabbi, "that your livelihood is running away from you and you have to rush to catch it up? Perhaps it's rushing toward you and all you have to do is stand still and let it catch up with you." [link]
On the seventh day, God rested. Do we think He was a slacker? Do we think we're better than God? Is it even really restful to try to rush around and squeeze in as many non-business activities as we can on a weekend, even Sunday? Do we incorrectly consider resting to be "doing nothing"?
Related links
- Are you missing out on a blessing from God? (Good News Magazine)
- Child Labor
- Child labor in America, 1908-1912
- Blue Law (Wikipedia)
- Keeping the Sunday Sabbath - Does such a Thing Still Exist? (UMC.org)
- The origin of Sunday School
- Report: U.S. Workers Are Most Productive (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
- Robert Raikes and Sunday Schools
- Sabbath-keeping is a discipline and a blessing (Interpreter magazine)
- sleep. sabbath. surrender.
- Take back your Sabbath (Christianity Today)
- What religious groups say about the Sabbath
- When it's Rush Hour all Day Long: Finding Peace in a Hurry-Sick World (book)
