What makes Sunday different?

What makes Sunday different?

Small children will certainly give a different answer to my question than -- teens, for example! I used to enjoy visiting with my friends at Sunday school when I was still just a 'tyke'. But, eventually the plays and the routine of going to church every Sunday morning 'became a drag'. I wanted to sleep in; have my day off ...!

Only in my adult years did I again miss my friends at church. Only now do I ask myself, what makes Sunday different?

Recently I prepared this question for the children at church for the 'children's time' in worship. I had several reasons for this question: do we ever really understand Jesus' words to the scribes and pharisees that the sabbath was made for man and not the other way around? What do our seniors mean when they say: "The week just isn't the same when I don't go to church on Sundays!" ?  -- Wouldn't it be an amazing thing if we could help children understand what a wonderful day Sunday really is -- before it turns into a tiresome routine for them!? Can we not reclaim the joy of the psalmist for them, when he said: "I was glad when they said to me: 'let us go up to the house of the Lord." ?  

I've come to believe that Sunday is different because God made it so. The first day of rest came after creation. God raised his Son Jesus on the Sunday, making it a day of celebration -- while at the same time breaking Sabbath himself? God wants us to come together with God because God enjoys our company and our prayers and our praises. Our worship is probably the only thing we can give to God -- that's how God made it. True worship also gives others some joy. Like the Martha and Mary stories, we need a sprinkling of both activity and inactivity to make God smile on us. -- A sprinkling of fun would make a big difference in how teens see Sunday. They could even forgive that they had to get up before church while they sit eating a special Sunday lunch or play some mini-golf with mom or dad after worship -- 

-- So, that makes Sunday different. It can be our 'thank you gift' to our God who otherwise is totally self-sufficient. It can still be a day of joy and enjoyment. How wise and wonderful God is!   

Join us in worship sometime.