Most cultures around the world consider Sunday to be the first day of the week. That was a surprise for me to learn. I grew up with the idea you put in all your work starting Monday. By Friday, you're looking forward to taking two days off to end the week. We called it the weekend, after all. I can't speak to the cultures of the world, but I know Christians made Sunday the first day. I'm not sure we know why. But since the church took its mission, apparently, they came together to break bread on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7). In Hebrew, Sunday even translates to "the first day."
That helped me think of Sunday worship differently. If Sunday is the first day, then one of the first things I do to start my week is worship. That has a way of setting priorities and guiding how I approach the following days.
That's what today's text has me thinking about. In Exodus 40, the Lord commands Moses to set up the tabernacle. This was the sacred place God would dwell with the people and the people could meet God. The instructions were specific. And they started not with materials or plans, but with time. God told Moses to put everything in place "on the first day of the first month" (40:2).
I'm sure you and I can come up with plenty of reasons why the first day of the year would be a good time to put things in order. Many of them might align with what we've just said about Sunday being the first day of the week.
But I also want to think about preparation. Preparing for worship. You may or may not know there are people who have thought about your first-day time of worship. They may even be preparing right now. As you go through your week, maybe you can prepare yourself as well. Take time to reflect on what you've experienced this week. Pay attention to what you've prayed most for or what you've forgotten to pray for. What about your work are you ready to put behind you and start again in worship your next first day?
Stay blessed...john | 
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