I recently read a story about a tyrannical husband who demanded that his wife conform to rigid standards of his choosing. She was to do certain things for him as a wife, mother, and homemaker. In turn she came to hate her husband as much as she hated his list of rules and regulations. Then, one day he died - mercifully as far as she was concerned.

Some time later, she fell in love with another man and married him. She and her new husband lived on a perpetual honeymoon. Joyfully, she devoted herself to his happiness and welfare. One day she ran across one of the sheets of do's and don'ts her first husband had written for her. To her amazement, she found that she was doing for her second husband all of the tings that her first husband had demanded of her, even though her new husband had never once suggested them. She did them as an expression of her love for him and her desire to please him.

As I read this story, I immediately thought about the way some people look at the Lord's Day. To many, observance of the day means only rules, regulations and a list of things that they can't do on Sunday. However, to others, Sunday is a day that they joyfully dedicate to rest, worship, family and as a time to refrain from many of the activities of the rest of the week.

What makes the difference in how people feel about the Lord's Day? To answer that, look again at the story about the woman and her relationships with her two husbands. What made the difference for her? She was doing the same things for both men, but had totally different feelings about what she was doing. Why? Because of her relationship with the two men. With her first husband, she only saw rules and regulations that were forced upon her by a man that she grew to hate. But, with her second husband, a man whom she loved and cared for very deeply, she wanted to do all that she could as a way of showing her love and devotion for him. And, without thought, she ended up doing the same things for her second husband - not because she had to, but because she wanted to.

And that is the whole key to observance of the Lord's Day, too. In Mark 2:27, Jesus said, "The Sabbath was made for the good of man; man was not made for the Sabbath." For the Jews in Jesus' day, the Sabbath was a long list of "do's and don'ts" that told people how far they could walk, what chores they could and couldn't do, what food preparation could and couldn't be done and so on. There were so many laws and rules that the day had become a burden on mankind.

Jesus knew that his Father had created the Sabbath as a day of rest and refreshment; a day when people could enjoy their break from work and draw closer to Him and to family and friends. But, with all of the rules and regulations, was anyone really enjoying the Sabbath?

As we think about how people view the Lord's Day, I think that we need to start by asking about our relationship with the One whose day it is - Jesus Christ! If we - in a way similar to the woman in the story above - really love Jesus Christ and really want to do all that we can to live our lives for Him, then surely we will find that we are doing the thing that we once viewed as restrictive and confining, but now do willingly. Why? Not because of a set of laws that says that we have to do these things, but purely out of love and a desire to please Him.

What will you or won't you do on the Lord's Day? We certainly should all want to be a part of Sunday school and worship services, we should want to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the work week and we should want to spend time relaxing with family and friends. But, as you think about what you will or won't do, don't get caught up in a list of rules and regulations. Let your love for Jesus Christ be your guide. Ask yourself how you could best honor Him and what you might do to show Him your love as you celebrate His day.