Sabbath at risk?

[Richard OFfill]

Many of us seem to be forgetting how to prepare for the Sabbath. We used to clean the house on Friday, prepare the Sabbath food, polish our shoes, press our Sabbath clothes, put away secular reading, turn off the radio and TV, have sundown worship. And of course on Sabbath morning we would go to Sabbath School and church.

Unfortunately these days only around 50 percent of the members are present for services on any given Sabbath, and many of these don't arrive until just before the preaching service begins.

If we continue down the road we're on, within a short time the average Adventist will keep the Sabbath in the same way most other Christians keep Sunday. If things continue as they are trending, the Sabbath could soon be at risk among many.

[Listen]

" the Sabbath could soon be at risk among many."

Unfortunately, in some places it already is "at risk" among many.  Many of these and Sunday churches go in time for Sabbath School and church services but it is the way the rest of the day is spent that makes it not keeping the Sabbath rest as it should be.

[V. Hahn]

Many of us seem to be forgetting how to prepare for the Sabbath. We used to clean the house on Friday, prepare the Sabbath food, polish our shoes, press our Sabbath clothes, put away secular reading, turn off the radio and TV, have sundown worship. And of course on Sabbath morning we would go to Sabbath School and church.

I agree.  Since I was brought up an Adventist, and my childhood was in the 50s and 60s, I remember the way it used to be.  Frantic activity getting the house and clothes and food ready for the Sabbath, and a-a-a-h, worship and calmness and rest after sundown; loved reading by the fireplace in my jammies with my family.  On Sabbath morning, dressing in my best  clothes for Sabbath School and church; my parents inviting friends home for lunch and spending all afternoon and evening with them or taking a drive into nature with just the family.  Mom would make me keep a dress on all day and not let me change into casual clothes; I didn't like this one at the time, but I see the wisdom in it now.

Later, not getting married until my late 40s and attending a somewhat liberal church didn't help.  During my single and alone years, I became less strict about the Sabbath.  Too busy to clean the house on Friday.  After sundown, turn on the TV because I was lonely.  Go to Sabbath School, but skip church because I didn't agree with the pastor.  Etc., etc.   

I've been better about Preparation Day and the Sabbath since I married and had a reconversion, but still haven't achieved the standards that my mother and father had in getting ready for and keeping the Sabbath.  With God's help, it's getting better!  Just think what Sabbaths are going to be like in Heaven!!

Just discovered the following website: http://www.sabbathdelightseminar.com/index.htm. I would love to go to one of their seminars.  And if you've read this far, I have something special for you!  I HIGHLY recommend this sermon by Siegfried Roeske, "A Day to Love." http://www.audioverse.org/english/sermons/recordings/572/a-day-to-love.html. Wonderful!!

[Ed Sutton]

thank You for putting those links up, have started spreading them.

[newbie]

to avoid a rush on preparation day, I try not to let anyone schedule anything on that day... as far as cleaning up and getting things ready for Sabbath we actually begin on Sunday.  what?   Yes, I actually begin on Sunday and do a little bit each day in preparation for the Sabbath.  On preparation day, we do all the cooking and last minute things that we didn't count on... then it is sweet dreams.