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When
the Captain Called:
H
ow many times have
you seen it? Every–
thing is going wrong
for a much-acclaimed
sports team.
Perhaps the game is basket–
ball, football or sorne other
sport. The opponents have
thrown up an unexpected
offense. Shifts in defense seem
futile to stop it. T he losing
team is rapidly becoming
demoralized.
Li fe ls Like That
The smart team captain or coach
knows there's only one immediate
thing to do. "Time out!" he
calis.
"Look, men," he may say,
"we've lost perspective. Here's
what we must do.... "
Our individual lives are like
that. Life can become one big
round of activities, social events,
entertainment functions-and
problems.
Most of us hit periods where
we feel we have lost control of our
lives, lost control of the direction
of our lives. We need time to get
away from the daily grind and
routine. We need time to analyze
what we may be doing wrong in
life. Time to analyze where and
how we should be using our ener–
gy and resources where they will
really ·count.
Successful men and women
know they have to do that.
The solution is to take "time
out."
Break up the daily routine. Get
away from the ordinary pressures
E OUT!''
by
Donald D. Schroeder
.
and responsibilites for a while.
Even J esus had to break away
from the pressures of his respon–
sibilities to seek such rejuvena–
tion (Mark 6:46, John 6:15).
I n fact, it is so important for
you to take regular "time outs"
that God made it part of his spir–
itual law. God commands you,
as Captain, to take "time
out."
This commanded "time out" is
time to rest from the problems
and pressures of your job and
everyday routines and activities.
Time to become refreshed physi–
cally, mentally, emotionally and
spiritually. Time to meditate.
It
is
time to look at your life. Time to
correct and change wrong atti–
tudes and ways of living. It is
time to help others.
This spiritually ordained "time
out" is called the Sabbath. "Re–
member the sabbath day, to keep
it holy. Six days thou shalt
labour, and do all thy work: but
the seventh day is the sabbath of
the Lord your God; in it thou
shalt not do any work ... " (Exo–
dus 20:8-1 0).
This isn't just a time out to be
taken if or when you want to. .lt's
not any one day in seven. God's
commanded Sabbath is a specific
"time out" on a specific day of
the weekly cycle.
This "time out" has a special
blessing on it that no other day of
the week has. " ... the Lord
blessed
the sabbath day, and
ha/–
lowed
it" (Exodus 20:11 ).
lf
we
keep another day as "time out" in
place of the day God commanded,
the blessing isn't in it. But if we
keep God's Sabbath as he
intended, we will start to gain
right focus on our lives. We will
start to find solutions to our prob–
lems.
God, the Creator of the mind
and body, knew in his infinite
wisdom that humans need a regu–
lar "time out" to maintain men–
tal, physical and spiritual balance
and health. We will be refreshed
spiritually, emotionally and phys–
ically.
Ne ve r Been Changed
God's "time out" has never been
changed.
It
is still the seventh day
of the weekly cycle. It is still holy
time.
rt
is still a time of rejuvena–
tion for all who truly keep it.
God's Sabbath is also a test of our
attitude toward God. A humble,
obedient, spiritual attitude is
something God must know above
all else before he grants anyone
eterna! life in his Kingdom. And
that's good for us!
You may wonder how we can
know for sure which day is the
seventh day. You may wonder if
time has been Iost. You may won–
der why so many Christian-pro–
fessing churches observe another
day- the oft-called "Lord ' s
Day"- the wrong "time out."
The surprising answers to all of
these questions are in our free
booklets ,
Which Day is the
Christian Sabbath?
and
Has
Time Been Lost?
l f you're going to take a "time
out," why not take the one with
God's special spiritual blessing in
it? The one that teaches you what
the true Game Plan of life- and,
most important of all, how to win
it- is all about? o