September 8, 2020: Day 17 – Jeremiah 17

So when you travel to Israel you have to be aware that on Saturday things are going to be stripped down.  You will be walking the steps at your hotel, or at least the elevator will stop at every floor. You will be eating left-overs, or at least pretty minimalist food.  If you are able to consider it as part of the experience then you can take it in stride, if you see it as something that is a bother, then you will miss the point that Jeremiah makes here in this chapter.  

Starting at vs. 19 and following Jeremiah is commanded to go and stand by the gates and yell  at the people that they need to follow the Sabbath.  He tells them that they are not to carry any burden on the Sabbath, because that is considered work and you are not to do work on the Sabbath.  

How do we obey the Sabbath?  I know, some of you say that we go to church and that pretty much checks the box for Sabbath keeping.  What if we agreed not to go to any stores and make purchases on Sunday?  What if  we agreed not to cook on Sunday?  What if we agreed not to carry any heavy burdens?  What if we agreed not to do any work with machinery, which might even include driving?  Uh oh, what about church?  Maybe you can be allowed to drive to church.

Our lives would be very different if we followed the commandment, which is one of the 10 Commandments, and really followed the Sabbath.  Life would be very different.