I listened on two separate occasions in the last week from news sources that concerns are rising as to the health effects of Americans never taking a day to rest. It is common knowledge that we as a country work harder and longer than any other. It was pointed out on these news clips that increased stress and other complications due to our hectic lifestyle is costing us in medical fees.
The American Psychological Association pointed out increased occurrences of financial and other recession-related difficulties, we Americans are struggling to balance work and home life and make time to engage in healthy behaviors, with stress not only taking a toll on our personal physical health, but also affecting the emotional and physical well-being of our families. The most common reason given by adults for not doing more to manage their stress was being too busy or not having enough time. We Americans also recognize that we are falling short in just about all areas of well-being, from the quality of our relationships with family and friends to getting enough sleep. It seems there is not enough will-power for Americans to stop on our own and rest up some. The power of temptation and desire to keep up with the Jones takes over. Like the Eveready Bunny we last longer and longer and longer, so we think. Ask any physician and they will tell you that rest is essential for physical health. When the body is deprived of sleep, it is unable to rebuild and recharge itself adequately. Your body requires rest.
All this leads me to think about the Blue Laws. A blue law is a type of law originally designed to enforce religious standards, particularly the observance of a day of worship or rest. When I was a youngster and the cold war was in full swing you couldn’t do anything on Sunday’s except worship God and spend time with family resting. What a novel idea. Guess what? It worked so well that we as a nation gave it up. Like so many other things that worked well for families were given up.
What I remember back then is not being able to do or buy anything on Sunday. All stores and businesses were closed. The Blue Laws have evolved over time, allowing for certain businesses to open their doors. Many of the laws were directly aimed at the sale of alcohol and what is commonly called adult beverages. Until 1991, no retail stores were allowed to open on Sundays. Prior to 1967, nothing opened. We were literally forced to spend time together, like it or not. Sure, I got irritated at least once when I needed something and had to wait until Monday to get it. But you know what? I got over it quite quickly and got on with life. Wouldn’t it be nice to wake up tomorrow to a life somewhat like we once knew?
Why not revive an observance of the Sabbath to help our nation with its health? You know what the Sabbath is right? After He created the world, God rested. He told His people to do the same thing, once a week. Then later Jesus Christ came to give us rest. And in the end, there’s an eternal Sabbath waiting for those who follow Him. Easy isn’t it? In the early history of the Church, the first Christians observed the Sabbath. We can find Biblical evidence such as Acts 3:1; 5:27-42; 21:18-26; 24:5; 24:14; 28:22. In the Old Testament we see that Moses established the law around the Sabbath. Anyone found desecrating the Sabbath was cutoff from society and put to death. (Exodus 20: 8-11, 31:14-15, 34:21). This law was not an arbitrary command, but was based on us having been made in God’s image, God’s resting on the seventh day after creation, and his blessing the seventh day and making it holy. When we read Hebrews 4:8-11, we can see that keeping the Sabbath is an abiding duty as prescribed in the fourth commandment. Reading Luke 23:56 we get that when the body of Christ was being prepared by His followers, they rested on the Sabbath before finishing their work.
Some say the Blue Laws originated by the Puritans and came over with the Pilgrims thus that is how they got the start in our law books. I am not sure of the origination but do know that the blue laws have covered a multitude of things that were prohibited on Sunday. I also know that some blue laws are still currently in force. The blue laws restrict activities or sales of goods on Sunday, to accommodate the Sabbath. The first blue law in the American colonies was enacted in Virginia in 1617. It required church attendance and authorized the militia to force colonists to attend church services. I doubt we will see the police forcing us to go to church anytime soon. In fact, Hell would likely freeze over before that happens again. I suppose if I moved to North Dakota I could see how it is still working there. Virginia had a blue law they referred to as the day of rest law which entitled every employee to a day of rest. It was overturned in 2004 due to lobbying efforts of major corporations that feared no one would work on Sunday. Actually there are twelve states with active blue laws: Alabama, Indiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and West Virginia. Notably, Indiana is the only state in the country that bans beer, wine and liquor on Sundays. Many states still prohibit selling alcohol for on and off-premise sales in one form or another on Sundays at some restricted time, under the rationale that people should be in church on Sunday morning, or at least not drinking.
From the First Apology by Justin Martyr, dated to between 155-157 CE, “”Sunday, indeed, is the day on which we all hold our common assembly, inasmuch as it is the first day on which God, transforming the darkness and matter, created the universe; and on the same day our Saviour Jesus Christ rose from the dead. For they crucified Him on the day before Saturday; and on the day after, which is Sunday, He appeared to His apostles and disciples, and taught them these things which we have transmitted to you also for your earnest consideration.” The focus of Sunday for the first Christians was on the Lord and His creating and re-creating power. This emphasizes and points out God’s purpose of giving us a day of rest. “For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it”, Exodus 20:11.
So what would be so bad about closing everything down on Sunday and resting, worshiping the Lord and spending time with family? We all know the answer. It is the same answer when asking what happened to Christmas and why the season starts earlier and earlier each year. Everything is designed around doing more business, the economy, and acquiring material things. They are no longer built around acquiring spiritual things. America out of balance! America lost its roots. We Americans have lost our way and we are all paying the price.
I’ll bet we can all agree that consciously setting apart some time to experience rest would refresh us, give us a taste of what is to come, and would make us all the more conscious of why God allowed us to be born here in America and what we are called to do while we remain. Along with it, who knows, we just might be able to save millions and millions of dollars on medical costs along the way. We should use our temporary times of Sabbath rests to remind us what God wants us to do so others may hear the gospel and one day experience the Sabbath rest that can only be possible through Jesus Christ.
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls”, Matthew 11:28-29.
Make it a New Years resolution to rest and worship one day a week.
God bless you all and may 2013 be a healthy and happy year for you,
“The Tubthumper”
