THE SABBATH AND REMEMBRANCE         

MEDITATION

This Bible passage is the declaration of the fourth commandment. The Lord instructs us to adhere to the Sabbath, the day of rest after six days of work – a day to be refreshed. At the centre of rest is the call to remember: "and remember" (Deuteronomy 5:15). The Sabbath and remembrance are deeply connected, but how and why? 

Let us remember that the system of a weekly day of rest for everybody had no parallels in any ancient civilisation. The Greeks thought the Jews idle because they demanded one day-off every week. What an extraordinary gift of God the Sabbath is! 

"You shall remember" had two realities. First: "You were slaves in Egypt." Second: "The Lord, Your God has brought you out of Egypt." In other words, you were robbed of your freedom, and now the Lord has freed you. The Sabbath reminds us of how we can live free from slavery because of God. It addresses the topic of freedom, namely the freedom from slavery of our own work. 

Every year I remember May 8, 1945. My father was conscripted by the Nazi regime and had to work day and night. When he secretly listened to the BBC and heard of the advance of the American troops, he fled and arrived in his hometown in Luxembourg on the aforementioned day of truce. Out of Nazi slavery and into freedom, he was incredibly grateful for his liberators. Every experience of freedom becomes part of our identity and our testimony. 

Before Jesus revealed Himself to me, I would live in fear every day . When the Holy Spirit came to live in my heart, He imparted the peace of Christ into the depths of my being. This kind of peace remains. I was delivered from my deepest fear. I know and remember my identity in Christ, and I share my testimony with others.

Remember it, but not only for yourself. On the Sabbath, servants, slaves, and even strangers shall rest with us (Deuteronomy 5:14). Let's remember the ones who are still in "slavery" and have not received their liberation yet.

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION  

• God, our Father, does not look for workers first, but for sons and daughters. What do you think about this statement? How does the Sabbath help you remember that?   
• What are your testimonies of deliverance or liberation which you enjoy remembering and sharing?   
• In order to be free, we must remember. Is that true? How do you do it?   
• Who are the "slaves of Egypt" of today? The ones you do not want to forget? The ones you want to invest your life in?

PRAYER TOPICS  

• We pray that God, our Father, will deliver us from fear and enslavement to evil in our lives through Jesus Christ.   
• We pray that we learn to live as sons and daughters of God, our Father, who delivered us to live in the power of the Holy Spirit and according to His Word.   
• We pray that gratitude and, therefore, joy may grow in our hearts, in our families, and in our churches.   
• We pray for the liberation of modern-day slaves (child soldiers, victims of human and child trafficking, etc). 
• We pray for God’s support and the release of the ones who are imprisoned because of their faith.

SUGGESTED PRAYER 

Thank You, Father. You have not given me a spirit of bondage that leads me back into a life of fear. If anything, You have brought me into Your family, which makes me Your son, Your daughter. That is why I say loud and clear: “Abba! Father!” It is real because Your spirit testifies that I am Your child. Jesus, I am the heir to Your life and Your heart. Wherever You have set me free, send me to bring the ones You love back to our Father. And if I have to suffer for You, I will welcome it, for then Your glory will be revealed, now and for eternity. Amen. (Romans 8, 14-17)

Paul Hemes, Lecturer HET pro (theological college) St. Légier, Switzerland.