How Do I Keep the Sabbath?

Sabbath is a day set apart for worship = time spent with Yahuwah.

Our loving heavenly father simply wants us to drop our 'busyness' and reflect on His many blessings in our lives.

'Work' 'labour' on the Sabbath refers to 'secular' activities whether for financial reward or not. Of course, He understands emergencies, etc.

From time immemorial, on the previous day, there have always been innovative ways to prepare sumptuous meals to be enjoyed on the Sabbath.

“If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of Yahuwah, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Then shalt thou delight thyself in Yahuwah; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of Yahuwah hath spoken it.” Isaiah 58:13, 14.

Going to the Bible for an answer we find the following important guidelines for keeping the Sabbath:

• Doing our own ways: This would mean avoiding all kinds of work that we typically do during the remaining days of the week (work, study, cooking, cleaning, TV, house work, etc...). The sacred hours of the Sabbath are to be spent in worship, fellowship, doing good to those in need, and witnessing to others.
  
• Doing our own pleasure: This would mean that we do not spend the holy hours of the Sabbath in leisure activities, sleep, social visitation, etc... All these activities are to be performed during the remaining six days of the week.
  
• Speaking our own words: What we commonly engage in conversation about during the six days of the week, we are to avoid during the sacred hours of the Sabbath; such as conversations about politics, work, family talk, etc... We have to realize that the hours of the Sabbath are not ours to waste but belong to Yahuwah and should be spent as He has requested.

For those keeping the Sabbath in harmony with divine instruction is given the most wonderful promise: “I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father.” Isaiah 58:14. The heritage of Jacob is eternal life.

Before the Sabbath begins the mind as well as the body should be withdrawn from worldly business. Yahuwah has set His Sabbath at the end of the six working days that men may stop and consider what they have gained during the week in preparation for the pure kingdom which admits no transgressor. Every Sabbath we should reflect upon the past week in seeing the spiritual gains and noting the losses that we can improve upon.

Beginning at dawn before sunrise on the Sabbath day, let the members of the family assemble to read Yahuwah's word, to sing and to pray. We are to leave our usual employment and spend time in meditation and worship. All secular work must be laid aside and all secular papers be put out of sight. Parents, explain your action and its purpose to your children and let them share in your preparation to keep the Sabbath according to the commandment. We should jealously guard the edges of the Sabbath. Remember that every moment is consecrated, holy time.

In His own day He preserves for the family opportunity for communion with Him, enjoyment of nature, and fellowship with one another. Parents should spend Sabbath afternoon with their children. Often, the Sabbath is made of little significance to children, who are left to play alone or find entertainment as best they can. Left alone, the children soon become restless and begin to play or engage in some kind of mischief. Thus, the Sabbath has to them no sacred significance. The portion remaining to the family may be made the most sacred and precious season of all the Sabbath hours, with involving all members of the family, both young and old.

During a portion of the day, all should have an opportunity to be out doors in nature where they can do much to exalt the Sabbath with their families and make it the most enjoyable day of the week. We should devote time to interesting our children. This will have a happy influence upon them.

None should feel at liberty to spend sanctified time in an unprofitable manner. It is not honoring to Yahuwah for Sabbath keepers to sleep during much of the Sabbath, the time that He has chosen to spend with us. They dishonor their Creator in so doing and, by their actions, say that the other six days are too precious for them to spend in resting.

Cooking should be done on the day of preparation - the day before the Sabbath .

"Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my Sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am Yahuwah that doth sanctify you." Exodus 31:13.