The difference is in how we choose to use those hours, and the reason we make those choices.
For most people the choice is simple, we spend our time occupied by the things which give us the most satisfaction, or lead to us achieving our life goals.
Those goals reflect the things which are our greatest priorities.
The question is, are our priorities driven by a selfish ambition, or do we recognise the fact that we have been given our lives as a gift from God in the first place?
Many people are surprised to realise that a ‘seven-day week’ is not something that comes out of a human convention for convenience, but rather, is built into God’s design for His created order.
In the first chapter of Genesis, we are told that God created the entire universe, in six days.
Then in chapter 2:1-3, He rested from His work, blessed it, and called it holy.
Later in Exodus, God commanded the people who chose to follow Him to keep the Sabbath day (seventh day - Saturday) holy and sacred.
This was to create an opportunity in peoples lives to not only rest, but to recognise God and His provision for them as a first priority.
Early Christian believers recognised Sunday in place of the Sabbath - in recognition of Jesus Christ rising from the dead on a Sunday - but still with the same purpose of thanksgiving and worshipping the God who provides for our needs, including salvation.
The ‘day of rest’ is more than just ‘downtime’ or recreation.
It recognises that our whole lives depend on God’s provision, and that we need to rest in that provision, rather than striving endlessly for our own security and identity.
We can be very disciplined in observing the things that are important to us, but do our life patterns reflect what is important to God?
~ Contributed by Bruce Driver from the Uniting Church, on behalf of the Combined Churches of Deniliquin.
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