Leviticus 23:3 Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings. 32 It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest"..."from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath.
This passage of scripture reiterates that which has been established from the beginning, that the Sabbath day of rest begins at sundown Friday and ends at sunset on Saturday. Many people ask whether the Sabbath begins at six o'clock, but the reckoning of the sacred hours is not to be done by a specific time, but by the setting of the sun. It therefore follows logically that in order to start the sabbath, we must be well prepared, both physically and spiritually, because there are some who use the sacred hours for personal benefit, instead of it being a day dedicated to the service of God and man.
In order to welcome the Sabbath on time, and in the right frame of mind, specific, deliberate preparations should be made, meaning that all our secular work should come to an end at a reasonable time on Friday evening so that there is no hasty rush to worship God. This is one of the areas where reform is needed in many Sabbath-keeping households, for in some cases the cooking and ironing continue well into the sacred hours, and whenever this is the case, we are not only robbing God of sacred time, but we are also robbing ourselves of the blessings which come with His presence.
Our minds do not slow down readily from the hustle and bustle, and cares of the six working days, neither can we just flip a switch in our brains to move from frenzy to calm, if we work right up until the last minute before sunset. Furthermore, if we push our secular work to the limit of time, then we are recorded as breaking the sabbath, because God is a Spirit, and the frame of mind we worship in is just as important as the time we worship Him. Thus, we should plan to lock off our secular work well before the sabbath begins, so that we can worship God in spirit and in truth. Let's read:
John 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
Another area that needs urgent attention is that of reconciling our differences between family members, and secular folk wherever possible, because it is not right if we enter the sacred hours with grudges, alienation, or with unpicked bones of the past week. Before the Sabbath commences, we should go through our past experiences of the week to see if for any reason we have wounded any soul inadvertently or deliberately, or if there was a simmering issue on the back-burner of our minds, against some friend or foe which was not settled. And if this is the case, well directed efforts towards a solution should be engaged wherever possible, for reconciliation with each other is a prerequisite for true worship, if it can be achieved by God's grace. Let's read:
Matthew 5:23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; 24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
Let us therefore begin to make the necessary reforms in these and other areas, so that the Sabbath may be kept in the letter and the spirit, for this is the good and perfect will of God in this regards. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which encourages us to make the necessary changes, and may we enjoy the rest of faith as can only be experienced in Christ. Let's read:
Hebrews 4:1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. 2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. 9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. 10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
May God add His blessing to the study and practice of his word. "Good night" and God bless!