By John Thiel, Godly Affections That Motivate Series, mp3

Scripture reading: Isaiah 63:7 I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the LORD, [and] the praises of the LORD, according to all that the LORD hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses. … 9 In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.

The Sabbath is part of the Ten Commandments and becaus it is, it is often looked upon as a legal expectation and people fall into the danger of coming to the Sabbath as to something which is expected of them and they see it as a bit of a burden. So many Seventh-day Adventists people who have grown up in Adventism, look forward to the end of the Sabbath so that they can do what they want and what they like.

This has been a burden in my heart over the years because I was myself brought up in the Seventh-day Adventist church. I grew up with Sabbath keeping and I saw this sad experience among Adventists as I grew up among them. When the Sabbath came to its end and Saturday night came, it was just about a celebration that Sabbath was over; they could now go out and enjoy themselves. But for me Sabbath became an ever-developing and deeper joy and I wondered what the problem was. Read the rest of this entry →