SUNDAY AND REST.
“Return unto thy rest, O my soul.”—Ps. cxvi. 7.
his evening, my dear girls, we will try to realise as far as possible how Jesus, our one perfect pattern, spent His Sabbaths. We get glimpses of them, here and there, in the history of His life on earth, and because they are only glimpses they are all the more precious.
It is an astonishing fact that the events of only one complete day of Christ’s life are recorded, and that day was the last of all, and ended on the cross. But we know well what sort of working days Jesus spent. Days of temptation, but no yielding, though the keenness of it was sharpened by hunger. Days of ceaseless work and weariness, but also of uncomplaining perseverance in doing what the Father had given Him to do. Nights spent in secluded spots or on the mountains, in prayer, and in communion with God, after days passed in healing, blessing, teaching and feeding the hungry multitude. Jesus was always ready to help all who sought His aid, or who needed it without expressing their wants. Words were not necessary to the Son of God, Who could read the heart-longings of His brethren according to the flesh.
Do you wish to know whether Jesus set the example of attending public worship on the Sabbath? Here is the answer: “And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up: and, as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read.” On this and on other occasions we find Him teaching and preaching, as well as reading, and it is certain that the presence of Jesus at public worship was no fitful thing, but the habit of His life.
It was in the synagogue that Christ healed the man with the withered hand, and taught the sweet lesson that acts of mercy and good doing are lawful on all days and at all times. There, also, He loosed from her infirmity the poor woman who had been bowed together for eighteen years and could in no wise lift up herself.
It was on the Sabbath day that Jesus made clay, anointed the eyes of the blind man, and sent him to wash in the pool of Siloam, whence he returned seeing, and full of gladness.
We get other glimpses of the Sabbaths of Jesus besides these which have shown Him in the synagogue. They were not days of gloom or unsocial isolation. See Him walking through the cornfields on the Sabbath day with His hungry disciples, who satisfied their craving by plucking a few ears and rubbing them in their hands. This picture leaves a sweet thought. Christ’s followers may even want bread, yet be blessed with a sense of their Master’s presence and sympathy, in every time of need.
Jesus accepted an invitation to eat bread with one of the chief Pharisees on the Sabbath day; thus we see that He did not abstain from social intercourse on the day of rest. The Jews were most particular in buying and preparing beforehand the best food for the Sabbath day, in order to do it honour. An old writer, in alluding to this, says, “The Sabbath should not be a day of austerity. The most nutritive food should be procured, if possible, that both body and soul may feel the influence of this Divine appointment, and give God the glory of His grace. On this blessed day let every man eat his bread with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God. If the Sabbath be a festival, let it be observed unto the Lord; and let no unnecessary acts be done.”