Monday, October 7, 2013

An Answer to the Sabbath Question

So often, the concern about what to do and what not to do on Sabbath becomes a point of discussion.  A young woman just the other day was concerned that she had broken Sabbath to take care of an unforeseeable emergency.  I've been thinking about her dilemma since.  I believe I gave her a response based on Scriptural that encouraged her to not entertain any condemnation for what she did.

I don't believe it brings any glory to our Creator to leave anyone or anything in harm's way because it's Shabbat.  As I pondered this situation, of course my mind wandered to the idea of community and how nice it would be to have a "pantry" for Shabbat emergencies, especially since Messiah specified the fleeing of the end of days that we should pray it not be Shabbat or winter . . .

It was at this point, I looked out an east window and saw the strangest sight.  Now, this was a Wednesday morning, not Shabbat, but even if it had been, I would not have waited until sunset.  It just wasn't appropriate to take a "before" photo, but I have included the "after."


The cedar branch in the photograph had somehow become caught in one of the bull's halter.   I keep feed in these standard sized trash containers, and it is clearly longer than my steps.  I'd guess about 4 1/2 feet long.  When I saw him by the fence, I went rushing out back.  He met me at the fence, as if to say, "Help!"  I tried to pull it, but it wasn't budging.  I was going to head out to the pasture to tend to him, when the idea hit me that I would need a way to brace myself for this endeavor and the calf was definitely getting in a bad place over this stick.

I attempted to use the fence for leverage, to hasten this deliverance.  This poor calf seemed near panic.  It took about 10 minutes to free him, which probably seemed an eternity to him.  What happened next truly confirmed my point.  The moment he was free, as I was trying to straighten his halter, he appeared literally driven to walk away from me.  He was heading with urgency to the water tub!

He had not been able to get a drink with that stick wedged as it was.  I have no idea how long he'd been in that situation.  He was grazing peacefully when I made my rounds at morning chores, but it had been long enough, he spent some serious time at that water tub, once he gained access.  As I said, this was not Shabbat, but if it had been, I wouldn't have done anything differently.

And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the Sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?  How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the Sabbath days. - words of Messiah

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