About the Author

Bruce A. Ray (B.A., The Master's College; M.Div., Philadelphia Theological Seminary) is Senior Pastor of Juanita Community Church in Kirkland, Washington, and author of Withhold Not Correction.

Publisher's Description

This positive look at the Sabbath explains why and how to delight in that day as the opportunity reserved by God for his people to be refreshed in fellowship with him. "Bruce Ray’s book is a wise, balanced, helpful, biblical, and encouragingly fresh look at what the Lord’s Day should be for every Christian. His work is meant to instruct, but also to stimulate sound thinking and encourage practical application. Each of these eight readable chapters is followed by questions to deepen the perceptions of the reader and promote a God-pleasing response. I do not know what more could reasonably be asked of a book on this subject." --James M. Boice "A tidal wave of anti-Sabbath influences is crashing against the modern church. . . . Pastor Bruce Ray has made a major effort to shore up our understanding and practice of Sabbath keeping. Celebrating the Sabbath is delightful reading about a recurring day of delight. How we need these principles and wise directions!" --Walter J. Chantry

Endorsement

This is the first of a few Sabbath books that I have read now. I believe it was a good starting point. It gave a simple explanation for why the Sabbath is important to keep holy, and what it should mean to Christians today. I realized the significance of stopping my productivity in order to allow the Lord to be God of my life... in order that I don't lead myself to believe that I'm making my own way in the world.

Also, I particularly appreciated the contrasting discussions of how the Sabbath can be abused with too much laxness of observance (like today's society) or with too much legalism of man-made rules (as with the Pharisees). The book didn't spend much time on the argument of whether it should be observed on Saturday or Sunday, which I was glad because that is not a concern of mine.

So what is the Sabbath to you? Is it an infringement upon your personal liberty and success? Or is it a gift that the Lord has given for rest, worship, and celebration?

With the conclusion of this book, I read my next choice by Marva Dawn "Keeping the Sabbath Wholly." It was a great second choice with a much more indepth approach. It also included more details of what activities can make up a Sabbath day observance.