puzzled

[Guest je24t2]

I told my father yesterday I'd do some work tomorrow which he needs done before nightfall but I forgot about the sabbath. I asked him today if it's okay if I wait until after the nightfall and he said no that if it's not done by a certain time he will do it himself.

I want to honor what I said to him I'd do but at the same time I don't want to work on the sabbath. What should I do?

[Woody]

Honor God.

(Change the appointment with you earthly father and keep the one with your heavenly Father.)

Whether your earthly father accepts that or not ... it does not change your heavenly responsibility.

[phkrause]

I told my father yesterday I'd do some work tomorrow which he needs done before nightfall but I forgot about the sabbath. I asked him today if it's okay if I wait until after the nightfall and he said no that if it's not done by a certain time he will do it himself.

I want to honor what I said to him I'd do but at the same time I don't want to work on the sabbath. What should I do?

If your conscious is bothering you than by all means do as Woody as mentioned. But if the work you are doing is to help someone I believe this is what the Sabbath is for. I'm thinking also that the work your talking about has nothing to do with money? So I see no problem with helping your father unless you see this as something that will be a bad (not knowing of a better word right now) example to your father than I would say not to do it. Just my thoughts on this.

pk

[Woody]

You bring up a good point pk. The part that concerns me is the possible "attitude" of the father by saying if he doesn't come on Saturday then to just forget it all. Unless this is critical that it be done on Sabbath ... I am wondering if there is some type of 'manipulation' on the father's part in opposition to the Sabbath.

If this is the case ... I would recommend standing up for the Sabbath.

We can pull the ox out of the ditch ... but we don't have to plow the field.

[phkrause]

Good point Woody, that's what I was also eluding to at the end of my statement. But you brought it out much better than I did.

pk

[Woody]

Well ... I guess I just threw caution to the wind and spilled the beans !! After all ... it's not nice to accuse one's father. But I had not ill intent.

And since we don't have all the right info at our finger tips ... we can't really know.

[LifeHiscost]

I am wondering if there is some type of 'manipulation' on the father's part in opposition to the Sabbath.

If this is the case ... I would recommend standing up for the Sabbath.

We can pull the ox out of the ditch ... but we don't have to plow the field.

Woody, I happen to be, for the most part, in agreement with your posts on this thread, although I am somewhat surprised at your position in this case. Had a few others broached the same subject in the same manner a few weeks (months?) ago, they would have been dubbed "legalists".

Is it a matter of "conversion by the washing of the Word" or is there another explanation?

It happened that just a small number of days ago, being retired and my wife's health problems keeping both of us home, when there, remembering the Sabbath was the last thing on my mind when learning she was going to be released from the hospital and certain items being needed at home that wouldn't have allowed me to leave her to get them, I decided to make a major shopping foray to stock up to prepare for the sure isolation during here recuperation.

I not only did major grocery shopping but also some other different stops, five stops in all, normally not included in our keeping of the Sabbath hours. It wasn't till the next day, when turning on the computer, that the date plainly revealed my mistake.

The circumstances did seem to accentuate the reality that God was not going to make a major issue about the delinquent sheep of His fold, though He may have been interested in my being more attentive to express instructions to remember, as the forth commandment so aptly states.

I apologized to Him during evening worship, and He didn't even make me stand in the corner, though my conscience would have accepted the reprimand as just if He had chosen that method as a reminder of His perceived higher wishes.

The circumstance also made me realize more fully, the gentleness of His care in helping us in arriving at His perfect will. Maybe also revealing the difference between making a (sinful)mistake through inattention or ignorance, or thinking up excuses to cover a rebellious distaste for His leading.

"How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days." Matthew 12:12 KJV

Regards!!

[Woody]

you surprise me LifeHiscost.

Now I am really 'puzzled'.