An outdoor Sabbath lunch is one of the “delights” of Sabbath-keeping for young children, and older family members too. Two objectives should be kept in mind for the Sabbath to fulfill its purpose. The first is the study of nature. “Parents can take their children outdoors to see God in nature. They can be directed to the blooming flowers and opening buds... We should not teach our children that they must not be joyful on the Sabbath, that it is wrong to walk outdoors. Oh, no! Christ led His disciples out by the lakeside on the Sabbath day and taught them.” (Child Guidance, p. 351)

When you make the Sabbath a day for the study of nature, it is not difficult to obey the following instruction. “Do not allow them to violate God’s holy day by playing indoors or outdoors. You may also transgress the Sabbath equally by allowing your children to do so. And when you allow them to wander, or permit them to play on the Sabbath, God considers you Sabbath-breakers.” (Child Guidance, pp. 350, 351)

The second objective to keep in mind is service. Invite someone to join you on your Sabbath outing, “to the nurse or missionary, to the mother burdened with cares and arduous tasks, or to the weak and elderly, who often live without a home, struggling with poverty and so many discouragements!” (The Ministry of Healing, p. 353). The Lord asks us to make our home a place of refuge for such needy people, and an outdoor Sabbath lunch is an excellent opportunity to do so.

Now a word of caution. Do not invite people who might divert your children from the Sabbath's objective – the study of nature. Each person will have to seek God to know when the family is ready to receive someone who needs spiritual help. I suggest you start by inviting an elderly, lonely person whom the children can help cheer up. Then, if there is a new convert who is learning to keep the Sabbath, invite them to spend some time with you studying nature. When your children are mature enough and well-trained in Sabbath-keeping, you can invite a family of new converts to teach them the proper observance of the Sabbath. This is the highest type of missionary work, but it requires some time alone with your family for several weeks to prepare them to help you do this.

Perhaps you might want to start this type of missionary work on a weekday instead of the Sabbath. “Take an excursion,” Sister White instructs. “Let the whole day be one continuous recreation.” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, pp. 514, 515). The chapter beginning on this page tells us how such excursions should be. What an excellent way to teach new converts and children what true recreation is! By the way, it's a good opportunity to teach healthy meal planning.

Perhaps if we called Sabbath meals an outdoor lunch instead of a picnic, it would help families maintain the true spirit of Sabbath-keeping. May God bless you as you seek to “live the life of Eden” in the coming Sabbaths. (Child Guidance, p. 352).

Taken from the book How to Teach Nature in the Home [Como Ensinar a Natureza no Lar], Ellen Frezee

Photo Credit: Pexels

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