A Sabbath State of Heart

By Carol Scharnhorst

Photo illustration by Mark Brunson

The author lives in Georgia, USA.

I wake up. It’s Sunday morning. Usually I would be at church by now for meetings, but today is not usual. I work my way out of bed and head to the table so I can get cereal ready for the kids. After eating, they look to me for guidance.

“Time to get dressed for church,” I say.

“But we’re not going to church!” comes the reply.

“I know,” I respond. “Today, church is coming to us.”

Have you ever read the Bible Dictionary entry about the Sabbath? It’s something I’ve been studying. I learned that after Jesus Christ died, members of the Church kept the first day of the week holy to remember His Resurrection. I used to think about the Resurrection around Easter season but not much at other times. Now each week as I take the sacrament, I think of the atoning sacrifice and Resurrection of our Savior and give thanks for His life. The Sabbath can be like an Easter celebration every week. That thought was especially poignant as our Easter Sabbath this year was held at home.

“The existence of a weekly holy day is a most important safeguard,” the Bible Dictionary states. “It leaves a constant reminder to the individual of his need for spiritual sustenance and his duty before God” (Bible Dictionary, “Sabbath”).

The Sabbath is a safeguard. How I treat it will either keep me safe in the ship of Zion or allow me to be washed overboard into dangerous seas. At times like these, when the waters seem especially frothy with confusion and fear, I want to keep my feet planted firmly on the gospel deck.

So I get dressed for church. And as my husband and I gather our children into the living room for our family day of worship, we invite the Spirit to magnify our efforts. We pray that these five little souls will understand that church isn’t just a place. It’s a Sabbath state of heart.