LBW 251, “O Day of Rest and Gladness”
Devotion
Some people say, “Thank God, it’s Friday!” I have learned to say, “Thank God, it’s Sunday!” Early Christians were charged by their pagan neighbors with laziness because they kept a sabbath. The Roman week was eight days long. During the French Revolution, weeks were extended to 10 days. Horses dropped dead in the fields.
We need the “day of rest and gladness.” On Sunday we can ordinarily leave our daily tasks with good conscience. We give rest to God’s earth and to ourselves, sharing time with family and friends and renewing our faith with worship.
The “Lord’s Day” also points toward the day of the heavenly banquet that honors our Savior, Jesus Christ. As the Sabbath offers temporal renewal, Christ’s resurrection from the dead promises eternal renewal for all creation. It is a “day of joy and light” and a time for the church to raise its voice to praise Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Prayer
Holy God, we thank you for this day of rest and gladness. Help us use it for our good and your glory, in the name of Jesus. Amen.