A LIFE WITHOUT SATURDAYS OR SUNDAYS from Nancy
Hello all !,,
Another day in India.But today, Sunday, is kind of strange. Imagine a life with NO Saturday or Sunday.
Friday afternoon comes and there is no anticipation of a day off. No Friday night plans with fun friends. No relaxing. No Saturday night date night. No Sunday morning breakfast in bed or church. Sigh !
Nothing defines the week. Monday through Friday just rolls into the same school and work days on Saturday and Sunday. Everyday there is school and work. The students have many Hindu holidays, maybe 3-5 /month, otherwise, business as usual. Business, especially restaurants, are even MORE busy during the holidays. People tend to work 6-7days/week. Young people LOVE to work for American companies because that gives them 2 days off /week, yes, Saturday and Sunday.
I can’t IMAGINE what we would do without a day of rest in the states. Our Pastor here works on an Indian schedule of everyday is a workday. Sunday is the day to preach, visit the slums churches to preach, visit the leprosy colony to give out food. It is even MORE of a ministry day. No wonder the average life expectancy is 65 yrs.!
I am sooo glad God instituted a day off. The Ten Commandants calls it “Remembering the Sabbath Day and keep it Holy” (set apart from other days of work.) Fortunately Christians are NOT under the Jewish law, but the principles of honoring God one day of the week and resting is a real blessing. It is not a law but a gift.
We have required our Indian pastor to schedule a day off approximately every 6-7 days. In the early years he would schedule an arduous 6 hr. commute to the next town. (Driving here is both dangerous, scary and a rough ride. Hopefully, we have a real bathroom in those 6 hrs. (Think dehydration prior to all road trips). This year the “madam” (AKA – ME) wanted a REAL day off. I got it yesterday and it was a delight.
It is amazing how much more energetic, refreshed, rested, tolerant, and gracious you can be when you are rested! Even athletes know that their bodies cannot perform at their peak without down time. How much do our minds and emotions need rest?
I am thanking God today for a restful Saturday and His encouragement to keep this gift each week! Obviously, not ALL cultures enjoy this blessing.
Enjoy your next day off… be intentional. And schedule it! (January 23, 2018 Vijayawada, India)
love Nancy
Exodus 20: 8-11 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
How are you doing at keeping a day of rest? I think its one of the most common sins among US Christians, along with gluttony and greed. (Jerry wrote that)