Thursday 20 August 2009

No Thunderbirds on a Sunday!

There was one problem with visiting my Grandparents on a Sunday, no TV. This meant, at the time, no Thunderbirds. For a young boy of about 10, this was a big deal.

My Grandparents weren't overly poor or technophobes; they did have a TV. But it would not be turned on during Sunday, the day of rest, the Christian take on the Sabbath from today's WordLive.

Today's passage got me thinking about those Sunday's years ago.

For a young boy the no TV rule seemed very legalistic. As an older boy the memory seems quite strange. TV, back then, was one of the few things available on a Sunday. Now, in a western world where everything is open, Sunday is pretty much like any other day and there is plenty to do.

There is one nagging thought though about those Sunday's past. The day was anything but a day of rest. It was one thing after another...
  1. Wake up
  2. Large breakfast
  3. Morning service at church
  4. Large Sunday lunch - extended family invited
  5. A moment to chat
  6. Large Sunday tea - extended, extended family invited
  7. Evening service at Church
  8. After church Bible study
  9. Tea and cakes back at my Grandparents
  10. Go to bed

My Grandparents and most of the family would work from the moment they got up to the moment they went to bed. Preparing food, eating food, cleaning up, going to church.

As I look back, I can't help thinking I have lost something in my 'day of rest'. As I think about what the Sabbath means to me, I may need to look back at what my Grandparents had. For them the day was a day of sharing love with others and worshipping God.

Perhaps that is what the Sabbath really is?

Darren

2 comments:

Elizabeth said...

I well remember Sundays like that-way back in my youth. They were so predictable and so comfortable;lots os social interaction ,which we don't see so much of today;also shared experiences which contributed to spiritual growth. I miss those days;but our church has started having Sunday lunch "out",which I think is quite a good, updated version of the old setup.

Darren Hill said...

That's great, I think a lot of churches are thinking more along the lines of community these days, and if the church isn't then individuals are setting things up themselves.