Which Came First?

What comes first.

Sunday or Monday?

I had this thought while having a discussion for a Masters class that I am taking. We were discussing the importance of the Sabbath and in the midst of the discussion it was mentioned that since Sunday was the first day of the week that it should be treated with more importance than the others.

Sunday is first?!

I thought Monday was first!

I know that this might seem to be a trivial comment and many of you may be shaking your heads wondering if I have lost my mind. I assure you that I haven't and I actually am perplexed by this new notion.

I have always viewed Sunday as the seventh day. At the end of a long week we can come together for a day of rest and get rejuvenated for the days to come. We go to church, enjoy the weather, watch some football, and generally do the things we need to accomplish in order for the new week to kick off the next day. Sunday has been the clean up day....the last day to take a breath and head out into the world the next morning.

Monday has always been the first day of the week. All of the issues that we left on Friday are anxiously waiting for us when we walk in the door. That paper that was due, the project which needs to be accomplished, the meetings that need to be held, the phone calls that have to be made. All of these items that we quickly jump into so that we can get our week started on the right foot. The thought of Saturday and Sunday seem like far off goals that we must work to reach.

What if we put Sunday first? Is it appropriate that the one day we are supposed to leave for God we save for last? Shouldn't we promote God to the front of the line and make His day our number one priority?

This doesn't mean that we need to change what we do on Sunday. We should get up, spend time with family, attend church, eat a meal together, watch some football, go for a walk.....basically get ready for what the week is going to bring. We should do this with the knowledge that God goes with us when we board that bus, poke along in traffic, and drop our children off at daycare. If we wait to the end of the week and then ask God to give us peace from the week that we just had....we are closing the barn door after the horse has already left!

If we ask God for peace and guidance in the week that is coming....now we are giving ourselves a little reassurance that no matter what we encounter in the next six days....God will be there with us.

So let's start the week on Sunday! Give God the first day.......not the last.