Jesus said
"The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath"
Mark 2 v 27
NICOLA LAVER: A TESTIMONY
‘I knew there was something about you that was different!’ This is what the man behind a new radio station in Essex said to me in the early 90s when I was studying journalism.
I have never forgotten those words and are always a reminder that as a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ for my salvation, I am ‘different’—because the majority of the world is dead in sins; and if we love the Lord, we should stand out because the way we live our lives at home and at work is governed by God’s Word and not worldly standards.
Nearly two decades later, I am blessed with two careers—as a solicitor and a legal journalist (three if you include motherhood!). This was not my plan when I was studying but it turned out to be the Lord’s plan for me as I continued through the years after school, through university and the early years of my professional life. Being professionally successful is very satisfying but first and foremost I am a Christian and my academic years and my professional life have always been subject to my faith.
Like many teenagers, I didn’t really know what I wanted to do after university. I always enjoyed writing and spent a year after school working in a publishing house in Oxford Circus, before embarking on a year’s course in newspaper journalism. Looking back over the years, I can see the Lord’s hand even in this as it was a difficult course to get into. It was at that time I took up the opportunity to contribute to the setting up of a local radio station (I never found out whether this was ultimately successful). One evening a group of us and the producers of the proposed radio station met to discuss its future. In the course of the evening I had cause to say I would not attend the planning meetings on Sundays because I was a Christian. This is when one of the producers made the comment to me about being different.
Knowing I would not be satisfied with working on a small newspaper (which is what I would be destined for without further studying) I did a degree in Law. During this time I felt drawn to a legal career and consequently qualified as a solicitor in 1998. Meanwhile I had met and married Michael who was a huge support and encouragement during the sometimes interminable task of securing a training contract which were (and still are) difficult to secure. There were many tears and hundreds of applications made before I secured a training contract but I never doubted the Lord would provide in His time.
When I qualified I did not mind what area of law I practised as long as it wasn’t commercial law—or property. Again, the Lord had other plans. I was offered employment very near home in property law and wills and probate—and accepted it on the basis that I would continue to look for something I wanted to do. But this work turned out to be very satisfying—not only this but it laid the foundation for my future years in the law and legal journalism which other areas of law would not have done.
These early years in the legal profession were an incredibly busy, exciting and rewarding period in my life, but very stressful: as well as working fulltime, I was writing a book on getting into the solicitors’ profession (published in 2000) and lecturing on the Legal Practice Course (the solicitors’ finals course). I was also a housewife and had church commitments.
But even though I got to the point that I knew I couldn’t carry on at that pace and I was burning myself out mentally and physically—I did not feel tempted to ‘do a bit of work’ on the odd Sunday. Instead, while cramming through the week I looked forward to the respite of the Lord’s Day, knowing I could rest from it all. I still had to let some things go—my incredibly understanding boss recognised this and dropped my hours by a whole day (refusing to drop my salary accordingly!). I also had to have a break from lecturing.
Then six weeks into the new millennium, our first child, Esther, was born, followed two years later by Leah. Needless to say, life became busier in different ways and even more fulfilling! In the meantime, in God’s providence, the publication of my book opened new doors to a writing career. I had given up work as a solicitor as I strongly believed my place was as a full-time mother while my children were young. But I quickly found many opportunities for writing various features, news and editorials for a number of national and international legal publications, and distance tutoring, all of which I could do from home.
I have written for the Times newspaper a number of times which gave me an opportunity one Christmas-time to witness to a well-known Times columnist as a result of one of his columns. For years I have written features for the International Bar Association’s newsletter (the IBA is an association of international law firms) and the editor has told me how reliable I am compared to many writers he has commissioned.
At times I have had to write legal news stories or features on topics which have enabled me to weight it in favour of a biblical stance. When writing, I am at liberty (subject to editorial control) to choose my commentators for quotes and, of course, exclude any blasphemous comments or unsavoury remarks. I have only once had to turn down a piece of work—a feature on abortion—because I did not want to give print-space to pro-abortionist comments. (A freelance journalist’s golden rule is never to turn down work because the editor will not commission you again!)
When my youngest daughter started school in 2006, I went back to work part-time as a solicitor, and carried on with freelance writing and marking papers. Then, unexpectedly, but in the Lord’s perfect providence, I became pregnant again and a son, Gabriel, arrived in November 2007, thus starting another new and exciting chapter at home. As I write, maternity leave finishes and I’m now resuming my freelance career from home—and enjoying life with the family the Lord has blessed me with.
As the years have passed, the Lord’s Day remains special to us, but this world no longer knows what it means to enjoy this day of rest. Even as a child I remember the quiet streets, the closed shop fronts, the empty town centre and the closed pubs. How things have changed, and Sunday has now become like any other day of the week for most people. One consequence for Christian parents, as we are now discovering, is that it is much more difficult for us and our children: school trips encroach on Sundays; ballet and music rehearsals and concerts are invariably on Sundays.
However, the Lord never changes; I was taught from my earliest years by God-fearing parents that the Lord’s Day is exactly that: the Lord’s Day; a day of rest, a day to worship him, a day to keep holy, a day to cease from what I would usually do the rest of the week. This is a God-given principle about a God-given day that I have continued to treasure and, with Michael, teach my children.
But I didn’t always find it a joyful, pleasurable principle to keep. Before I became a Christian I remember being embarrassed when friends knew I didn’t ‘do’ parties on Sundays, went to church and didn’t go on school trips if they included Sundays. I remember being in the car on the way to church and thinking, ‘Why do I have to go when my friends don’t?’
But soon I was thankful that I was brought up in a Christian home and saved at an early age, probably at around the age of nine. I did lack assurance for some years. I often doubted salvation partly, in typical childish simplicity, because I hadn’t had a ‘Damascus road’ experience. And Satan fired many darts at me. Then at the age of thirteen I heard Albert Martin speak on Revelation 3:15, ‘Behold I stand at the door and knock. If any man opens the door to me I will come into him and will sup with him and he with me.’ I remember going home late at night, sinking to my knees in tears and acknowledged him as my Saviour. At last enjoying the assurance I had lacked for so long, I was soon baptised.
It was no longer a chore but a pleasure to keep the Lord’s Day; I enjoyed the fellowship of many Christians during my teenage years and I had a new-found strength that came with professing Christ in my life. So how did these principles fit into my everyday life?
They didn’t. My everyday life fitted around the Lord’s Day.
Homework to be in at the beginning of the week was completed by Saturday. Revision for exams that took place on Mondays was often refreshed early on the day itself by getting up at 6am—if I felt the need. It was not done on Sunday. Reading and coursework for post-graduate study never encroached into the Lord’s Day. When I came home from work with a pile of contract papers for a property purchase or a complicated mortgage offer to read through, or a will to draft, these would not be touched on Sunday. Washing and ironing waits a day.
And this leaves a whole day to rest, think more about the Lord and all he has done for us and meet with his people, worship and hear God’s Word preached.
I find it interesting that the fourth commandment states ‘Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy’ and not ‘You will keep it holy’. Surely in what we as Christians aim to do on Sundays we remember that it is the Lord’s Day and ask ourselves whether we feel it’s appropriate? Will it help me worship him? Is it restful and will it help me to acknowledge his holiness, to praise him, will it take away from what I have heard in church? Will it dishonour the Lord’s Day? Will it help me to enjoy him?
My daughters know that Sunday is a special day and that it is the Lord’s Day. When they receive a party invitation they invariably check what day it is first of all, accepting that if it on a Sunday they will not go. They do not do their homework on Sundays; rather, we encourage them to read Christian books and we have a good selection of Christian DVDs and videos and colouring and puzzle books. On holiday, they know we will not buy ice-cream or go out to eat in restaurants. Sadly, Esther had to stop ballet classes because rehearsals and shows were on Sundays. She understood why we had to take this stance and she knows that the Lord will honour those who honour him.
But I believe it’s important to bring our children up in such a way that they don’t view Sundays as a ‘negative’ day—a day when they can’t do this and they can’t do that. As a day given by God for our benefit we are bringing them up to look forward to Sundays as the Lord’s Day—to enjoy meeting with the church and to have a rest from school work and think more about what the Lord has done for us.