“If you call the Sabbath a delight and the Lord’s holy day honorable,
and if you honor it by not going your own way
and not doing as you please or speaking idle words,
then you will find your joy in the Lord…”
(Isaiah 58:13-14)
Friday night is date night! Kay looks forward to dressing up and going out for dinner to a nice restaurant every Friday evening with her husband, Sam. Sometimes they go to the symphony or a show at Gammage or a concert at one of the other venues. Then they usually cap it off by coming home and putting on some nice music, lighting some candles, and dancing the night away in the privacy of their own living room.
Then it started. One Friday afternoon, Sam called Kay to let her know he had to work late that night and wouldn’t be able to make it home for date night. He finally came home about 10:00. Kay wasn’t worried, though. She knew it wouldn’t happen very often. They were both committed to date nights.
Three weeks later, Sam called again. He had to work late again. A couple weeks went by and Sam called Kay again on Friday afternoon and said he was going to stop by the Sports Bar with the gang from work to watch a game. Two weeks later he called to tell Kay that he was going to a ball game with some guys from work. Two more weeks went by and Sam called to inform Kay he was going to play paint ball with the guys. And the pattern continued. Sam was now calling Kay and canceling date night two or three times every month.
Kay began to wonder what was happening. Was Sam lying to her? Was he falling in love with someone else? Was he falling out of love with her? Or was she just not as important to Sam anymore?
How does God feel when we do the same to Him? How does He feel when we start coming up with all sorts of reasons and excuses to miss our weekly date with Him on Sundays – work, family, leisure, ball games, fishing, etc.? How does God feel when our weekly date with Him is just not that important anymore?
Where are you looking for joy? Are you finding your joy in the Lord?
Dear Heavenly Father,
Forgive me for allowing other things in life
to distract from my relationship with you.
I renew my commitment to our weekly date.
May I find true joy in You once again!
In Jesus’ name, Amen!
