Several years ago when one son was about four, he examined his carrot carefully before eating and declared, "I don't see any vitamins in these carrots." Like vitamins in carrots, I sometimes miss the blessings and treasures buried inside seemingly ordinary commandments. For example, the Sabbath Day has layers of treasures that have always been there, but I haven't taken the time to study, learn and appreciate the miracle within.
In Exodus 20:11 it says, "the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it." I am intrigued by the word hallow. The
definition of hallow is to "make holy or set apart for holy use."
Synonyms include "to devote, dedicate or consecrate." I understand this
in at least three ways.
First, there must be a space to stop daily physical labor, step back, and reflect on our path. Faster often means less focus and perspective. The best remedy for that malady is to stop, step back, and be still. I understand hallow in this sense to stop, dedicate and plan the weeks work, to be God's work.
Secondly, I understand hallow to mean that all that exists in creation only has meaning as we dedicate ourselves to the purpose for which the earth was created. In other words we make ourselves holy on the Sabbath day by consecrating ourselves to God's work and THEN the earth is fulfilling the measure of its creation. It makes the creation holy.
So
following that train of thought, the content and creation of each day
and week can only be hallowed if I step back, consider how my devotion
to God is connected to the previous week and the coming week. Without
turning to Him, focus is lost and the purpose of all of mortal life
becomes lost or wasted. I think of Malachi's plea to turn our hearts to the
fathers and the fathers to the children, or the earth would be "utterly
wasted." Utterly wasted! I am beginning to
glimpse why I must turn in a deeply significant way every seven days to
devotion and consecration to God, that what takes place on the next six days is not wasted.
And certainly at least a major portion of what is hallowed that day and
the following days would connect the hearts of fathers, mothers, and
children "lest I smite the earth with a curse." Hallowed, certainly
must be tied to effort to strengthen family ties on both sides of the
veil and worship God.
Thirdly, hallow the Sabbath means to cease to carry burdens spiritually and trust the Lord. Jeremiah 17:22 states "Neither
carry forth a burden out of your houses on the sabbath day, neither do
ye any work, but hallow ye the sabbath day, as I commanded your fathers.'" David Wilkerson said the "sabbath means we are to cease from our own works - our striving in human strength - to merit God's salvation". We are to cease doing it our way and carrying burdens on our own, and put our faith and trust in Him. Hallow means in part to let go!
As we hallow the Sabbath Day, may the sought after blessing be: "this city shall remain for ever," and we may "ride upon the high places of the earth and feed thee with the heritage
of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it." (Jeremiah 17:14)
