Thought for the Week

“And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord, and to be his servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it, and holds fast my covenant…” (Isaiah 56:6)

 

 

In the Old Testament, piety and religion are of a piece and cover the whole of life. Loving the Lord, serving him, honouring his day and keeping his covenant are inseparable elements of the religious life that pleases God. A special blessing is intimated for those who entered that circle from outside, and join themselves to the God of Israel. That Gospel has never changed.

Thought for the week

“I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord!’.”

(Psalm 122:1)

 

The Sabbath under the Old Testament was much more restrictive than under the New, but never did the people of God anticipate it as a repressive, joyless day. Quite the contrary: it was always a day to which they looked forward, a day of rest from work and the worship of God. To have an invitation to meet God in his house filled David with joyful anticipation. Why should it not make us glad also?