Four Sundays in a month. Most of us have worked more than our "fair share" of Sundays. Many have worked a Sunday that also happened to be a holiday (like ten days ago on the 4th of July).

One of the most frequent responses to the question, "Where are you - spiritually?" is; "Well, I haven't been to church in a while because I work a lot of Sundays." Of course, that is really just a rationalization, isn't it? And, when I say "spiritually," I am talking about your personal relationship with our REAL CHIEF... not how much or little you attend church. That is, as a pastor friend says, "churchianity" -  Church is very important, don't misconstrue. But, some people, I'm afraid, see going to church as "checking the religious box" and then live their life as if GOD doesn't exist outside the walls of a church.

Back in the time when JESUS had HIS ministry on earth, HE would be criticized by the religious zealots of the era for healing someone on a Sabbath Day. (The Sabbath Day is the "day of rest" that GOD exampled - HE created everything in six days and "on the seventh day, HE rested."). To the Jewish people, the Sabbath is on Saturday. Christians recognize Sunday as the Sabbath.

So, if Sunday is to be a day of worship and rest, a day when we aren't supposed to work, is it 'okay' to pull a shift if we are serving Christians? The answer? Absolutely!

Our REAL CHIEF is our example. When HE was approached by the zealots of HIS time and was accused of breaking their religious law by healing someone (working)... how did HE answer them? Look at our verse for the week. HE said it was okay to "save life" - to do good on Sundays. Of course, the implication was to save someone from spiritual, as well as physical death.

Church is important. But, more importantly, develop your relationship with our REAL CHIEF. Ask HIM into your life. Ask HIM to be the Supreme Incident Commander of your life. Study HIS Word (the SOG for life) daily. Spend quiet time with HIM daily. Talk to HIM (pray). Find a church home. It is very important to your walk with GOD to be around other believers... to corporately praise and worship HIM. Many churches now offer Saturday evening services now. I went to those services when I had to pull a Sunday tour.

When you do have to work a Sunday shift, ask HIM to ride along with you. Ask HIM to bless your shift and make it holy, as you serve...