After reading the Bible a couple years ago I always wanted to go back to a few of the books I didn't understand, but I knew pertained to the latter days. I read a quote from President Kimball saying that Leviticus was very pertinent to the latter days and I wanted to see why.
The first time reading through Leviticus it made very little sense to me. I was a lot of rituals that we don't even do any more. Then I got to verse 26, the second to the last verse in the whole book. That is where I discovered what relates to me today.
In verse 26 it talks about the Sabbath day. The Lord gives his people a promise that if they obey the Sabbath day they will be blessed: no wars, enough food, no pestilence, etc. However, if his people choose not to abide by the Lords commandment to keep the Sabbath day Holy, he will wrought with them: clear their high ways, food will not satisfy them, wars, etc.
I know it probably meant something different then the way I am taking it but the promise if clearing our high ways really struck me. That is exactly what is happening now with gas prices. Everyone complains about the cost of gas with no relief in sight. Well why is that? Are we as a nation keeping the Sabbath day Holy or are we boating, shopping, and visiting amusement parks?
A lot of people have their own versions on how to keep the Sabbath day Holy. I know when I first got married Big D thought it was okay to go boating after church. We were with family building memories and we didn't skip church to do it. Well I didn't feel comfortable with the boating because I was raised that that is not an activity that is appropriate for the Sabbath.
So one day as we were heading out to the beach after church I ask Big D to pray about it and tell me how he felt. I thought he'd just blow me off and say he still felt every thing was fine. However, to my surprise as we all crammed back into the car to head home he leaned over to me and confessed he doesn't think we should participate in the boating trips on Sunday any more. My love for him grew 10x that day.
Sunday has become a very sacred day for us as a family. We guard our Sabbath activities very closely. It may not seem that big of a deal to most people but to us it is the highlight of our week. We go to church and then go to my in-laws for dinner. I never thought our ritual would last as long as it has, twelve years. I thought we'd do it while we were a young couple maybe through our first child or two, but then quit going because I didn't want to overwhelm my in-laws.
Some friends of ours started the same tradition when they were first married. However, they didn't enjoy it as much as we did and relished in the Sundays they spent at home making their own dinners. I understand their thoughts of wanting to be alone and enjoy just their immediate family, but I have always loved the peace and relaxation at my in-laws.
Big D lost his grandparents at a very young age so we wanted our children to enjoy their grandparents as much as possible before they went onto their eternal reward. I have asked many times if the six of us coming over every Sunday overwhelmed them. My in-laws admit that our visits are a highlight to their week as well.
The Sabbath day is such a special day for us. I believe if it became a special day for everyone as they discovered their own way to keep it Holy, we would see the Lord bless our nation so much more than he already has. We are encroaching on a very important time, the Saviors return. He has made promises to us that if we keep his commandments he will bless us. He has made these promises over and over through out the ages. Those who listen and obey have been immensely blessed, but those who choose not to obey have suffered the wrath. I personally enjoy being blessed, I enjoy seeing my family blessed. I wish others could open their eyes and see how much better their lives would be if they just simply did what the Lord has asked.
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