Little break from thinking...

My head is full and my brain is tired.

I’ve been studying the 4th Commandment this morning. This is what I am speaking about on Sunday. Was the Sabbath instituted at Creation or post-Exodus? Was it only for Israel, or is it for today also? Has Sunday taken the place of the Sabbath, or is Sunday disconnected with Sabbath?

As J. Douma writes,

It would be nice if we could draw a straight line from Paradise to the present. Some interpreters insist that the Sabbath was instituted in Paradise, kept by the Patriarchs, repeated as a commandment on Sinai, moved by Christ from Saturday to Sunday, and therefore observed on the basis of the fourth commandment from the very beginning of the New Testament.

Oh, if it were that simple! It’s not - not by a long shot. Oh well, I’ll keep wrestling with it and will speak about it on Sunday. I think it will end up being about a principle of rest found in Christ, which is best articulated by him in Matthew 11:28. My guess is there are some things we need to learn and probably change about the way most of us rest. We’ll see.

My study was interrupted by a lady who came in with arms full, literally, of groceries. I asked her if I could help her. “I got food from your food pantry last week, and I want to donate some things to the pantry.” I told her that was nice. She added, “That’s just the way I do things. I made need help again sometime, but for now I want to give back.” Wow, we don’t see that everyday.

Funny about the timing of this encounter. This morning some of us, yet again, were discussing, almost agonizing, over how to really help the poor and needy in our community. The success rate is so low that it is discouraging. I’ve really tried a few times to enter into the lives of some folks who are so different from me. I just can’t seem to make much difference, or that’s how it seems. Oh well, enough about that. I think we are called to be faithful with what we have and use it to help others however we can. Somehow I’m not satisfied that what we are doing is the best approach; still waiting on the epiphany.

Going to run this evening with my friends in Bedford. It will be a short run of 4 miles, but the fellowship of friends is worth the drive over.