Receiving New Light in the Commandments

This week, sister Susan Berlincioni who just finished studying at our Leadership Institute shares with us how the 4th Commandment has impacted her:

“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.”

Being a child growing up in a Christian family since birth, it seemed like an easy commandment to follow. Even more so because we lived across the street from the church, across the street from the Christian School, and across the street from the church dormitory. So for us, in whatever direction we went, we would end up in the church environment. So when Pastor Joshua spoke about keeping the Sabbath, I thought to myself that it would be a routine message. We hear it once every year and it is nice to be reminded. I wasn’t expecting much more than that.

But this time because of the world’s state and the global pandemic, many people including myself, perhaps, think differently about certain matters. One of them is about the Sabbath. Looking back now, I guess I could always go to church every week, even a few times a week if I so decided. But when the pandemic came, and the churches were closed, it made me think about how precious the Sabbath is. I thought the only commitment was bringing myself to attend each week. But the pandemic turned that around. The message of Pastor Joshua, reminded us that it can be a privilege to go to church. This enlightened me. It’s not just a routine thing we do every Sunday. It’s something very special and set apart.

It reminded me that we’re not supposed to take 1 day in 7 off to rest and go to church as a routine. Actually, we’re supposed to take 1 day in 7 and dedicate that one day to God. Not use that day for our hobbies, or watching movies, etc. Although it may seem difficult to adjust our minds to spending an entire day with God. Amazing things will happen when we decide to dedicate this day to God. And by resting in God, we are in turn refreshed and rejuvenated. And so by deciding to honour, we are inevitably blessed. Indeed, God is good all the time, all the time God is good.

Yes, let us take nothing for granted but cherish everything God graciously gives us!