Wake Up Already!
It was a bright, sunny morning and the Blake family was ready for breakfast.
“Come, children,” said Father. “I want to show you something.”
The children eagerly watched as Father brought out several drinking glasses and placed them on the kitchen table.
“Now let’s fill the glasses,” he said, as he began pouring water from a big pitcher into each glass. Suddenly, just as he was about to fill the last glass, he stopped.
The children all wondered what would happen next. Even Mother wasn’t sure. . . .
Then Father went over to the refrigerator and pulled out a jar of freshly squeezed orange juice and filled the last glass with the juice. Mmmmm—the sweet aroma of delicious oranges filled the air and the children smiled.
“Now, children,” Father said. “I know you’re hungry. Which of these drinks would you like to have?”
The three children all quietly glanced at each other. They had already had their morning water, but knowing there was only one glass of juice, they all knew that they were not supposed to be selfish about it. But it was clear that they were all thinking the same thing—each child obviously wanted the juice.
Father smiled. “Don’t worry, children. There is more juice in the refrigerator—plenty in fact—so you will all get to enjoy some. But what do these glasses bring to mind?”
The children were puzzled. They knew that Father surely had an object lesson in all of this. They knew that water is used in the Bible as a wonderful symbol of the Holy Spirit. . . . But what about juice? Was Father going to speak about the fruit of the Spirit, perhaps? What did he have in mind?
Finally, Joey counted the glasses. 1-2-3-4-5-6 glasses with water and the 7th had the juice.
“I know, Father!” he joyfully exclaimed, almost as if a light bulb had suddenly lit up in his mind. “The seventh is the Sabbath!!!”
“You’re exactly right, son,” chuckled Father. “Every day is a great gift from God—just like the water we drink. But remember, ‘on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made’ (Genesis 2:2, 3).
“Yes, children, God poured a special blessing into the seventh day, and we should enjoy it as the sweetest, most pleasurable day of the week. That’s the day I’m off from work—it’s my day off, even from household chores. We’ll get to spend more time together on the Sabbath than on any other day. And so it is with your Father in heaven. So, enjoy His day! He’s put a special blessing in it just because He loves you.”
This explanation gave the whole family a chance to thank God for His wonderful plan—and to drink their orange juice with special joy for the blessing He would have in store for them on Sabbath.