Thoughts for the Day

Then God said, ‘Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.’

So God created humankind in his image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.

God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.’ .... God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.... And on the seventh day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all the work that he had done in creation.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

We looked at Genesis yesterday, at the first book of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Hebrew scriptures), and today the account continues. Whether we believe in the literal or allegorical meaning of these words we can learn something. God blesses the seventh day and 'hallows' it, for this is the day that he 'rested from all the work that he had done'.

The word 'hallow' is the same word as in the Lord's Prayer, where we say: 'Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name.' It means to make something holy or sacred. The seventh day is to be set apart as something special. Now it's a long time since this happened, though I remember in 1964 going to north Wales to discover no shops, pubs, or garages open on a Sunday. And in 1966 when living in Cyprus it still felt strange to attend church early morning, before sitting at a pavement café for a coffee to read the airmailed Sunday newspaper.

I am not advocating turning back the clock, but I am calling for each of us to set aside one day each week for God, for ourselves, and for our family. To make this happen perhaps we could write it in our diary as an unbreakable commitment. Try saying, "No, I can't make that day, I'm already booked" And don't tell them why!

Heavenly Father,
You taught our ancestors
the benefits of rest,
and all too often today
we ignore this.
May we find time for You,
for ourselves and
for our families,
and not give in to
the pressures of life.
Amen.