Preparing For The Holy Day

[Thompson, Darryl]

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Ellen G. White Estate, Devotional for March 2
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Preparing For The Holy Day

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Ex. 20:8.

At the very beginning of the fourth commandment the Lord said,
"Remember." He knew that amid the multitude of cares and perplexities
man would be tempted to excuse himself from meeting the full requirement
of the law, or would forget its sacred importance. Therefore He said:
"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy."
All through the week we are to have the Sabbath in mind and be making
preparation to keep it according to the commandment. . . . 
When the Sabbath is thus remembered, the temporal will not be allowed to
encroach upon the spiritual. No duty pertaining to the six working days
will be left for the Sabbath. During the week our energies will not be
so exhausted in temporal labor that on the day when the Lord rested and
was refreshed we shall be too weary to engage in His service. . . .
On Friday let the preparation for the Sabbath be completed. See that all
the clothing is in readiness and that all the cooking is done. . . . The
Sabbath is not to be given to the repairing of garments, to the cooking
of food, to pleasure seeking, or to any other worldly employment. Before
the setting of the sun let all secular work be laid aside and all
secular papers be put out of sight. Parents, explain your work and its
purpose to your children, and let them share in your preparation to keep
the Sabbath according to the commandment.
There is another work that should receive attention on the preparation
day. On this day all differences between brethren, whether in the family
or in the church, should be put away. Let all bitterness and wrath and
malice be expelled from the soul. In a humble spirit, "confess your
faults one to another, and pray one for another."
Before the setting of the sun let the members of the family assemble to
read God's Word, to sing and pray.
We should jealously guard the edges of the Sabbath. Remember that every
moment is consecrated, holy time.

>From Devotional: Our Father Cares, p. 64.