When the Captain Called: TIME OUT!
Plain Truth Magazine
May 1981
Volume: Vol 46, No.5
Issue: ISSN 0032-0420
QR Code
When the Captain Called: TIME OUT!
Donald D Schroeder  

   HOW many times have you seen it? Everything is going wrong for a much-acclaimed sports team.
   Perhaps the game is basketball, football or some other sport. The opponents have thrown up an unexpected offense. Shifts in defense seem futile to stop it. The losing team is rapidly becoming demoralized.

Life Is Like That

   The smart team captain or coach knows there's only one immediate thing to do. "Time out!" he calls.
   "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 energy 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 and responsibilities for a while. Even Jesus had to break away from the pressures of his responsibilities to seek such rejuvenation (Mark 6:46, John 6:15).
   In fact, it is so important for you to take regular "time outs" that God made it part of his spiritual 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 physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Time to meditate. It is time to look at your life. Time to correct and change wrong attitudes and ways of living. It is time to help others.
   This spiritually ordained "time out" is called the Sabbath. "Remember 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..." (Exodus 20:8-10).
   This isn't just a time out to be taken if or when you want to. It's not anyone 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 hallowed it" (Exodus 20:11). If 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 problems.
   God, the Creator of the mind and body, knew in his infinite wisdom that humans need a regular "time out" to maintain mental, physical and spiritual balance and health. We will be refreshed spiritually, emotionally and physically.

Never 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. It is still a time of rejuvenation 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 eternal 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 lost. You may wonder why so many Christian-professing 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?
   If 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?

Back To Top

Plain Truth MagazineMay 1981Vol 46, No.5ISSN 0032-0420