HOW NEGOTIABLE IS THIS DAY?
*WISDOM FOR TODAY.*
*HOW NEGOTIABLE IS THIS DAY?*
*Scripture Treasure.*
Psalm 84:10 *For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand......"*
*Insight and Highlight*
If church attendance is negotiable to us, we should not be surprised if God negotiates our requests.
*Scripture Commentaries.*
The psalmist says one day spent in the house of God is better than a thousand anywhere else.
It is not so surprising how we often negotiate Sunday, the first day of the week, with God!
If we negotiate the Holy day of worship with God, we should not be surprised if God negotiates our request, petitions, and supplications.
God has His reasons why He wants us to keep this day holy and separate for Him, but when is the Holy day of worship?
It is important that we know that Sunday is the day of worship.
In the Old Testament, in the fourth commandment, God said in Exodus 20:8-11
*Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.*
*Six days you shall labor and do all your work,* *but the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God.*
Under the redemption by the blood and the resurrection of Jesus on the first day of the week, Sunday became the Christians' day of worship, 1 Cor 16:1.
It became the day of the Christians' liberation from sin and death.
No appointment that can wait should be negotiated for the Holy day.
However, Jesus made two things worthy of note.
The first is when His disciples were hungry on the Sabbath, Mark 2: 23-28.
They plucked some grain and ate. Jesus was accused of breaking the Sabbath.
Jesus told His accusers that the
*The sabbath was made for man,..."*
By this, Jesus was saying the Sabbath was made to meet the needs of man, if what they did pertained to life.
ln other words, if not honoring the Sabbath day is because of saving a life from hunger, it is not a dishonor to God.
However, to work six days, which were well enough to see to your survival, but negotiate an hour or two on a holy day which is far less to what you had gained for the past five to six days in the week, is questionable before God.
This point of view is butresssed in Matt 12: 10-13, Jesus was asked if it was lawful to heal on a Sabbath day.
Jesus told them it is lawful to do well on Sabbath days.
Jesus was telling them that if there is a life to be saved from ill-health on a Holy day, it is acceptable to God.
It is important to note that Jesus said
"it is lawful to do well on the Sabbath day *s*. In other words, the Sabbath *days* are continuous, but the individual observing healing or care is different on each of the days.
So God Himself has made provisions that though there are lives to save on every Sabbath day, there are alternative arrangements for lifesavers to be on duty while others honor Him with their presence.
Besides the above, any other reasons for negotiating church attendance are not recorded in the scriptures.
Negotiating being in God's presence other than health or an immediate need for survival are not mentioned in the scriptures.
When Jesus said, *"The Sabbath was made for man,..."* He further says in Mark 2:27b *".... that man is not made for the Sabbath.*
By this, Jesus was saying that
people are not made for the requirements of the Sabbath.
The Sabbath already has its God-given requirements, God did not create man because of it. He had created each day before man was created, Gen 2:1-4.
God, however, knows there may be unavoidable reasons that may cause a one-time or an occasional absence. This is permissible, if such reasons are adjudged right before God
This is why Jesus said in Mark 2:28 that He is the Lord over the Sabbath, meaning He is the ultimate judge.
However, a continuous absence for an unreasonable period of time from His presence is inexcusable before God.
There is no provision for long or continuous absence.
How often do you negotiate your presence before God on the first day of the week?
None of us should negotiate being in God's presence!
*Remorse corner.*
The psalmist says one day spent in the house of God is better than a thousand anywhere else.
One day out of seven is not too much to give God attention!
*Call to Word action*.
How glad are you to meet your God on a Sunday!
Ps 122:1-2a *I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord.*
*Our feet shall stand within thy gates,...."*
*The Christian clarion duty.*
You have a duty to encourage someone to be in Church!
Luke 14:23 *And the lord said unto the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.*
*Prayer.*.
Lord, help me to encourage someone and lead them into God's presence, in Jesus name.
Zech 8:21 *And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts: I will go also.*
Good morning all, and have a blessed day today.
God bless you