rest on the sabbath y'all

there's another great article in the l.a. times this morning. i think i finally know now why i like the l.a. times religion section: they write cool articles about practical difficulties about where faith meets physical life.

this article, making the sabbath a day at the beach, is about a jewish community near venice beach that is trying to create an eruv in their immediate area to ease restrictions on what they can and cannot do on the sabbath.

of course you know that the observance of the sabbath to an orthodox jew is not an option. and it goes way further than the simple christian version (church at 10am, raider game at noon). they cannot perform any work, even things like carrying their keys, picking up their children or pushing them in strollers.

i know that jesus was a jew. and i know that he observed the sabbath. but like all of the OG Law, there was reasons behind it all.

in college group about a month ago, we talked about phylacteries and how the orthodox wear a small box with scriptures in it on their forehead, derived from exodus chapter 13. was that really the point of it; to walk around looking like a dork with a box on your forehead? or was the intention to remind the people of god to have his word on their mind and in their mouth constantly?

back to not working on the sabbath. in the article, it talks about for the hardcore orthodox, they would be unable to help, bathe, change or whatever a child who is confined to a wheelchair. they would have to deal with it until the morning basically.

did we miss the point in the OT Law?

this is a difficult thing, because i know that if i were alive back in the day, i would be bound to the law and i'd have a box on my forehead right now. thank god for the fulfillment of the law in jesus, because god sees my heart and mind.

i feel a little bad for people who must determine on which city block they can push their child's stroller and on which they cannot in fear of angering god.

i mean no disrespect, and i truly do respect anyone who is willing to not carry their keys to serve god as they see it. but i am very glad that my faith in jesus has set me free...

now, how do we take the freedom of christ and use it to bind ourselves? ah, the million dollar question......

author's note: did you even notice who that is in the first picture? bet you didn't...