In the book of Nehemiah, the prophet expresses concern about the spiritual health of the Jews. In chapters 8-13 he focuses on spiritual reforms. Ezra reads the law of Moses and this leads to needed reform.

As they are confronted with the law they are faced with their repeated failures. They are brought to confession. Leaving nothing to chance, they list their most frequent failings:

- Intermarriage with heathen peoples
- Failure to keep the Sabbath
- Failure to provide the needs of temple worship
- Failure to recognize God's right to the firstborn
- Failure to tithe

Often spiritual growth is dependent on our willingness to be specific and honest about our weakness.

As I look at the failures mentioned in Nehemiah, I see three that are related to the Lord's Day. Realizing we are not under law but under grace, I also realize that we do have a day, the Lord's Day, which is the Christian day of worship. It is also the day we are to bring a tithe and offering to the Lord. Therefore it is important for us to provide the needs of Christian worship.

This brings us to the point of this article. Looking at what has happened to Sunday, the Lord's Day, and seeing how Christian people many times are failing to observe this day as they should, isn't it time for us to confess our failures and return to keeping the Lord's Day holy and seeking to be in the spirit of the Lord's Day like John on the isle of Patmos (Rev. 1:10)?

It seems that in America it has become not a time of rest and worship but a time that leaves us worn out and ill tempered for the week ahead. Because of the activities that are not relative to worship and rest we end up with headaches, irritated nerves, indigestion and ulcers, not to mention the effect on our spiritual life.

Instead of honoring the day which God made for our spiritual growth and physical well being, we have turned it into a day that leaves us exhausted.

So as Nehemiah called for confession for healing of failures, so I believe we need to confess and make the Lord's Day a day for the Lord.