August 12, 2022 - Good Morning! It’s Friday, August 12.
I've adjusted the Daily Devotion schedule from Monday - Saturday to Monday - Friday. Sunday, for ministers, is the busiest day of the week, so the new schedule gives me a "day of rest" each Saturday. Some people call Saturday the "Sabbath" - a word that literally means "rest". We see this word in the New Testament with the Greek Sabato, in Spanish with Sabado, and in Hebrew with Shabbat.
Our English word "Saturday", however, comes from a different tradition. In 2000 BC the Babylonians devised the seven-day week, based on their concept of seven planets - Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, and Saturn. And they named the days accordingly. The Romans continued this tradition and, over time, Saturn Day became our Saturday. But, except for Sunday and Monday, the rest of our weekdays are named for Anglo-Saxon gods. In the name "Thursday" you hear echoes of the god Thor.
The Jewish people begin each new day at sunset. That seems strange to us, but, when you think about it, it's kind of strange to begin the day, as we do, in the middle of the night! And so, Friday sunset to Saturday sunset is the Jewish Shabbat, their Sabbath, their day of rest.
Where does that leave Christians? It leaves us with Sunday, which the New Testament calls "The Lord's Day". I like that name, don't you? So, may you have a restful Saturday and let's meet in His house on The Lord's Day!
Meet you back here on Monday,
Bro. David
dmathis@fbccenter.org
