God forbid we value the discipline of a sport more than the discipline of Christian living. Both require great application of time and effort, but one is worth far more than the other. Because time is our most limited resource, how we allocate it reveals much about our hearts. Our time usage should look radically different than that of the unbelieving family. We must leave time for slow afternoons, for evening meals where we pray together and share our faith and struggles, for Sunday mornings of shared worship. God ordains Sabbath for our good and for His glory. May our homes be places where Sabbath rest is jealously guarded, that in all things God might have preeminence – even our schedules.Personally, I cringe every time I hear of parents regularly removing their families from corporate worship, as well as personal rest, on the Lord's Day because of sports or other activities. What do you think the child is implicitly learning in that exchange?
Be not surprised to find that when the over-scheduled child grows, he or she values neither the Church nor the Lord of the Church. After all, they will just be accurately reproducing what was modeled to them as children.
Personally I cringe every time I hear a Christian refer to Sunday as the Sabbath.
ReplyDeleteBut I'm with you on prioritizing church over sports and other activities.
Hah! Good one. I do not prefer "Sabbath" either, as it can be confusing. It is not, however, wholly without warrant given the great continuity between the two and the definite foundation of both in creation (Gen 2:3). See Equipping Hour on 4th Commandment: http://www.rivercitygrace.org/mp3s/100808equippinghour.mp3
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