DAY 1 – MAY 10

“BACK TO BASICS” (a study of the Ten Commandments)

TITLE: “REMEMBER”

WEEKLY SCRIPTURE READING: Exodus 20:8-11

DAILY SCRIPTURE READING: Exodus 20:8

KEY VERSE: “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.” Exodus 20:8

The first word, ‘remember’, calls for our attention. The use of the word speaks against our tendency to forget and neglect. Listen to this admonition from scripture. It says, “Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.” Deuteronomy 4:9.

Paul Harvey told the story that it was gratitude that prompted an old man to visit an old, broken pier on the eastern seacoast of Florida. Every Friday night, until his death in 1973, he would return, walking slowly and slightly stooped, with a large bucket of shrimp. The sea gulls would flock to this old man, and he would feed them from his bucket. Many years before, in October, 1942, Captain Eddie Rickenbacker was on a mission in a B-17 to deliver an important message to General Douglas MacArthur in New Guinea. However, somewhere over the South Pacific, the Flying Fortress became lost beyond the reach of radio. Fuel ran dangerously low, so the men ditched their plane in the ocean. For nearly a month, Captain Eddie and his companions would fight the water, and the weather, and the scorching sun. They spent many sleepless nights recoiling, as giant sharks rammed their rafts. But, of all their enemies at sea, one proved most formidable: starvation. Eight days out, their rations were long gone or destroyed by the salt water. It would take a miracle to sustain them. And, a miracle occurred. In Captain Eddie's own words, "Cherry", (the B- 17 pilot, Captain William Cherry), "read the service that afternoon, and we finished with a prayer for deliverance and a hymn of praise. There was some talk, but it tapered off in the oppressive heat. With my hat pulled down over my eyes to keep out some of the glare, I dozed off."

Now, this is still Captain Rickenbacker talking..."Something landed on my head. I knew that it was a sea gull. I don't know how I knew, I just knew. Everyone else knew, too. No one said a word, but, peering out from under my hat brim, without moving my head, I could see the expression on their faces. They were staring at that gull. The gull meant food...if I could catch it." And, the rest, as they say, is history. Captain Eddie caught the gull. Its flesh was eaten. Its intestines were used for bait to catch fish. The survivors were sustained and their hopes renewed because a lone sea gull, uncharacteristically hundreds of miles from land, offered itself as a sacrifice. Captain Eddie never forgot. Every Friday evening, with a bucket filled with shrimp, he fed the gulls to remember.

God calls us to “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy”. What does this mean to you today?

DAY 2 – MAY 11

“BACK TO BASICS” (a study of the Ten Commandments)

TITLE: “KEEPING IT HOLY”

WEEKLY SCRIPTURE READING: Exodus 20:8-11

DAILY SCRIPTURE READING: Exodus 20:8

KEY VERSE: “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.” Exodus 20:8

Holiness cannot be separated from the presence of a holy God. In Exodus 3, we read of Moses tending the flock of his father-in law, Jethro. He led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. While he was there, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. The bush was on fire, but it did not burn up. Seeing this, Moses decided to go over and see this strange sight. He did not understand why the bush did not burn up. When he went over to look at it, God called to him by name from within the bush. When Moses heard his name, he responded, “Here I am.” Listen to what the scripture says happened next. Verse 5 states, “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” Exodus 3:5. It was the presence of the Holy God that made the ground holy.

Many things in the Old Testament are called ‘holy’. Among them is the Sabbath day. Exodus 20:11 says, “Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” The commandment to keep it holy is based on the fact that God blessed the day and made it holy. The major thrust of this fourth commandment falls on the verb, ‘to hallow’ or, ‘to make holy’. The word, ‘holy’ means, ‘separate from’ so, the Sabbath was to be separate from or different from other days. The Sabbath was a day set aside for God. It was not just about time off, but about sacred time. God called the people to remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.

They were to remember the Sabbath by keeping it holy or separate from other days and not allowing the busyness of life to squeeze it out. The Sabbath was a day to remember who they were as the people of God. They were to set time aside for God by keeping the Sabbath holy. As the people of God, we must set aside time to keep us from losing the spiritual dynamic in our lives. We must take time to be holy.

Take time to be holy, speak oft with thy Lord;
Abide in Him always, and feed on His Word.
Make friends of God’s children, help those who are weak,
Forgetting in nothing, His blessing to seek.

Take time to be holy, the world rushes on;
Spend much time in secret, with Jesus alone.
By looking to Jesus, like Him thou shalt be;
Thy friends in thy conduct His likeness shall see. (William Longstaff)

DAY 3 – MAY 12

“BACK TO BASICS” (a study of the Ten Commandments)

TITLE: “SIX DAYS YOU SHALL LABOR”

WEEKLY SCRIPTURE READING: Exodus 20:8-11

DAILY SCRIPTURE READING: Exodus 20:9

KEY VERSE: “Six days you shall labor and do all your work.” Exodus 20:9

What comes to mind when you think of the word, ‘work’? As I am thinking on the word, ‘work’, I am reminded of what a farmer once said. “The hardest thing about milking cows," observed a farmer, “is that they never stay milked." This observation by the farmer serves as a reminder that for most of us there is always more work to be done. Work is never finished while we are on this earth, as there is always something more that can be done. God expects us to work. For six days, we are to labor. Yet, we are also to take time to rest.

Each of us must work while we can, for we have a limited time in which to work. Ecclesiastes 9:10 instructs, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is nether working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.” The implication is that we should work while we can.

Though Jesus understood the need to work to provide for our needs, He focuses on the importance of doing the work of the Lord. Jesus said, “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On Him God The Father has placed his seal of approval.” John 6:27. Later in the gospel of John, Jesus gave us this word. He said, “As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.” John 9:4. We have a limited time to work. Let us work while we can.

Work, for the night is coming, Work through the morning hours;
Work while the dew is sparkling, Work ’mid springing flowers;
Work when the day grows brighter, Work in the glowing sun;
Work, for the night is coming, When man’s work is done.

Work, for the night is coming, Work through the sunny noon;
Fill brightest hours with labor, Rest comes sure and soon.
Give every flying minute, Something to keep in store;
Work, for the night is coming, When man works no more.

Work, for the night is coming, Under the sunset skies;
While their bright tints are glowing, Work, for daylight flies.
Work till the last beam fadeth, Fadeth to shine no more;
Work, while the night is darkening, When man’s work is o’er. (Anna L. Coghill)

DAY 4 – May 13

“BACK TO BASICS” (a study of the Ten Commandments)

TITLE: “A SABBATH TO THE LORD YOUR GOD”

WEEKLY SCRIPTURE READING: Exodus 20:8-11

DAILY SCRIPTURE READING: Exodus 20:10

KEY VERSE: “But the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates.” Exodus 20:10

God established that the seventh day was to be different from the other six days of the week. They were to make that day separate by activity that was separate from the labors of the six days of the week. They were not to have just a concern for themselves, but for others in the family, including servants, aliens and animals. In other words, they were to have concern for the well-being of others.

The seventh day was to be set aside as a Sabbath to the Lord your God. The significance of this is illustrated in the story of the manna God had provided. God provided manna from heaven for the people. Daily, they were to go out and pick up their bread, gathering only enough for that day. They were not to pick up the next day’s bread, as each day, they were to do the work of collecting manna for the day. Those that did pick up extra to be used for the next day found it was spoiled and not eatable. The exception was on the Sabbath. No bread was provided on the Sabbath. They were to pick up extra the day prior and it would last through the Sabbath.

Taking Sabbath requires that you establish priorities. Time with God happens when time with God is a priority. Personal and corporate worship happen when worship is more important than other priorities. The Sabbath instructs that there is more to life than just work. It is possible to be consumed by work and the things of life and have no time to rest and be refreshed in the Lord. The admonition is that everyone needs to take time to rest, for everyone needs time for spiritual focus and renewal. This happens when it is a priority.

Over the triple doorways of the cathedral of Milan there are three inscriptions spanning the splendid arches. Over one is carved a beautiful wreath of roses, and underneath it is the legend, "All that which pleases is but for a moment”. Over the other is sculptured a cross, with the words, "All that which troubles us is but for a moment”. But, underneath the great central entrance to the main aisle is the inscription, "That only is important which is eternal”.

When we put life into perspective, we will not allow the trifles to distract us from what really matters. Set aside time to worship and focus on the Lord. Ask God to help you to keep His priorities your priorities.

DAY 5 – MAY 14

“BACK TO BASICS” (a study of the Ten Commandments)

TITLE: “HE RESTED ON THE SABBATH DAY”

WEEKLY SCRIPTURE READING: Exodus 20:8-11

DAILY SCRIPTURE READING: Exodus 20:11

KEY VERSE: “For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” Exodus 20:11

When Sharon and I lived in Los Osos, California, we would occasionally make the two hour drive to Monterey, California. History records that for many years, Monterey, a California coast town, was a pelican's paradise. As the fishermen cleaned their fish, they flung the offal to the pelicans. The birds grew fat, lazy, and contented. Eventually, however, the offal was utilized, and there were no longer snacks for the pelicans. When the change came, the pelicans made no effort to fish for themselves. They waited around and grew gaunt and thin. Many starved to death. They had forgotten how to fish for themselves. The problem was solved by importing new pelicans from the south, birds accustomed to foraging for themselves. They were placed among their starving cousins, and the newcomers immediately started catching fish. Before long, the hungry pelicans followed suit, and the famine was ended. The crisis was ended by providing a new example to follow.

God has provided an example for us to follow. God modeled rest when He did not have to, because we need rest. We need spiritual rest and we need physical rest. This is found in the Lord. Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30.

The call is to follow His example. The purpose of the Sabbath was to give the Israelites time to reflect, not on their works, but on God’s works. The psalmist said, “Come and see the works of the Lord, the desolations he has brought on the earth. He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields with fire. Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:8-10. Taking time to rest provides an opportunity to reflect upon our dependence upon Him. As part of God’s created order, we are totally dependent upon the Creator. Sabbath rest is ceasing from our own labors to become a fellow laborer with God. In closing, take a few moments to reflect on the following passage.

“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:28-31.