Neck Deep in Hot Water

The lame man healed by Jesus at the pool of Bethsaida (John 5) had hardly taken a step or two before he found himself neck deep in hot water.  It would seem that the keepers of religion had some of their underlings out watching every move made by Jesus.  By the time the man had taken up his mat and started walking, the Jews with authority were confronting him about breaking Sabbath law.  To the man who had been cured, they said, "It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your mat."  (John 5:10)

 

Figuring out what can and cannot be done on the Sabbath has been a thorn in the flesh of organized religion since the Ten Commandments were written in stone on Mt. Sinai.  Sundays were far different back in the days of my childhood.  My father who was an avid fisherman and not a religious person told me not to fish on Sunday.  "The fish need a rest," he always said.  And, then there were prohibitions about doing anything fun on Sunday.  Movies were taboo.  Of course, businesses were closed so no one thought about shopping for groceries, or clothing, or anything else on Sunday. 

It is such a different world on Sunday in these days.  There is no need to describe the difference.  Anyone with a few years remembers and those without them find it hard to believe.  Figuring out what it means to observe Sabbath is still a trick for many who seek to be faithful to the God who brought everything, including Sabbath, into being.  No single definition seems to fit, but there is within the two words "Sabbath rest"  something which requires anyone serious about faithfulness to spend more than just a moment or two pondering.  It may even require a lifetime.