Remember

The cashier waited patiently as I filled out the check to pay for the groceries. I had almost completed the task when I looked up and sheepishly asked the date. When she told me what day it was I maintained my composure, wrote down the date, took my receipt and groceries and headed for my car. All the way across the parking lot, I could clearly hear the sound of my own voice asking me one very curious thing, "How could you forget your birthday?" Yes, it was my birthday and I knew it, but in that particular moment I simply forgot and had to ask about the one day that you would think I would never forget.

I thought of this encounter during a class discussion about the holy purposes of the Sabbath Day. The translation of the Old Testament that I read says, "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it."

I have participated in similar conversations before, perhaps thousands of times. These group examinations tend to focus on activities and categorize them as either holy or less holy. For most activities there is a consensus within our congregation about what things we should be comfortable doing, things we should avoid and improvements that we can make in our Sabbath observance. But regardless of how long we discuss righteous behavior, it is simply impossible to make a complete list of all of the dos and don'ts that contribute to a holy sabbath day. Perhaps that is why list-making class times have left me wanting something more.

I am finding some of that want satiated by a mediation on the role of remembering. I practice Sabbath observance on Sunday, the first day of the week. I do this because I believe that Jesus Christ resurrected on Sunday. Before His resurrection, the Sabbath observance occurred on the last day of the week, or Saturday; in harmony with the day of rest following the creative period. I use the Sabbath to inspire me toward the memory of the life and resurrection of Jesus and formally worship on Sunday.

Sometimes I get so caught up in making sure my grooming is appropriate, my shirt is clean and my tie and suit match, that I forget what day it is. The Sabbath Day serves as a time to truly discover inspiration in and through my Lord and Savior. I find my attendance at worship services critical to help me remember basic principles that are too easy to forget. I sense that even if I am doing good things, they may be less holy without deliberate planning. This mindset should help me better evaluate my obedience to the deceptively simple commandment of remembering the Sabbath day and keeping it holy.

The real test will come next week, if I remember.