I remember being struck by a detail in one of the Little House On The Prairie books that I read aloud to the girls last year: the Ingalls were Congregationalists, and they took the Sabbath so seriously that the children were made to sit still all afternoon for fear that they would accidently do some work in the form of making something -- like a doll dress. What bondage!
My 10-year old daughter, One, is a voracious reader -- much to our delight. But, it is becoming harder and harder to keep One in books. Husband and I want to be diligent to preserve her sensitivities and abilities, and we are strongly convicted that, "garbage in, garbage out," applies to reading materials every bit as much as it would food for the body. So, last summer, Husband bought the 12-book set of Elsie Dinsmore novels for One. Elsie books are all the rage in conservative Christian circles, and were penned by a presbyterian woman 150 some-odd years ago -- what could be safer? So we thought until One came upon a weighty matter put forth in one of the early books; she came seeking our guidance with the following scenario:
Elsie's yet-unbelieving father had become dangerously ill and bed-bound. One Sunday, he asked young Elsie to read aloud to him from a book other than the scriptures, but she refused, being very convicted that one ought not read from any book other than the scriptures (or one of specific spiritual edification like Pilgrim's Progress) on the Lord's Day. Her refusal separated her from her father, and he awaited her repentance. I'm not sure enough of the sequence of events to state how it all turns out, but I think I remember that One reported that Elsie soon after became very ill herself and her father was then "saved" because of the trial.
One's thought-provoking question in that moment was, "What should Elsie do? Obey her father or obey her conscience?" We decided that she ought to have obeyed the scriptures that command a child to "honor thy father and mother," and "obey your parents in the Lord." Poor Elsie. Such a heavy yoke.
Today, as we were driving to a local ballet company's Baroque-period recital, One asked me if it was o.k. to do this on a Sunday. I told her that if there is anything we think we ought not do on the Lord's Day because it doesn't glorify God, then we ought not do it any day because every day is the Lord's Day; He is our Sabbath -- He is our rest. I went on to explain that there are some things I won't do on the Sabbath if it can be helped, (shopping, housework) but not because I shouldn't -- not because I'm bound in my flesh to a law -- but because it's my privilege as His child to set that day apart for the feeding and relaxation of my soul! It's a great day! It's a gift from Him to me! I'm glad to receive it; I don't want it to be just another day.
One is deeply sensitive and has been struggling these past weeks to walk confidently with Her Lord. She worries that she must be perfect. She defaults to the "wrathful God" setting. She wonders if her conscience is being whispered to by the Holy Spirit for good or her adversary to keep a good thing from her. Surely, these are doubts that have plagued every true believer as we endeavor to draw near and hold fast to the Gospel by which we were saved. I'm thankful that she brings her questions to me. I pray I'll stay ahead of the curve far enough to be a help to her, but I feel she's gaining on me!
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