What Does It Mean to Rest
If you’ve spent any amount of time in church, you’ve probably heard someone mention that mankind is meant to rest each week. This principle is modeled in God’s creation of the world, in which He rested on the seventh day, and it is further cemented in the Ten Commandments and the teachings of Jesus. Most of us don’t have a problem intellectually acknowledging that we are meant to rest. Our difficulty is in actually doing it.
I am a hard worker (which I believe is an equally biblical principle). It is easier for me to roll up my sleeves to get a job done than it is to take a break. A few minutes of sitting still, and I’m twitching to go finish a project that’s been on my list. How are we supposed to balance the demands of our fast-paced culture with God’s command to rest?
Understand Biblical Rest
Sometimes our difficulty with resting comes from a misunderstanding of what biblical rest looks like. Bible rest is not necessarily sitting in a dark room with your eyes closed, meditating on Scripture for hours on end. Likewise, biblical rest is not legalistic – Jesus made this very clear in His time on earth. Biblical rest is disconnecting from our work to focus our hearts and minds on God and our loved ones. Here are some examples of things that might constitute biblical rest:
· Enjoying a picnic at the park with your family
· Worshipping with your family at church
· Sharing a meal with neighbors
· Reading a book
· Hiking in God’s creation
One of my favorite forms of rest is sailing! While this isn’t physically relaxing (quite the opposite), being on the water soothes my soul and allows me to leave my earthly burdens behind. I often find I’m able to focus my attention on Christ better after I’ve spent time sailing!
Plan for Rest
If you don’t actively plan for rest, it won’t happen. While we are released from the Old Testament Law and do not have to become a slave to the Sabbath restrictions of the Old Testament, the principle of actively setting aside time for rest is a good one. Even to this day, the Sabbath is something the Jewish people look forward to and honor, although most do it in a legalistic way believing it will earn favor with God. Choose a time for rest, and then actively plan for it. Take care of your responsibilities ahead of time, and then unplug from your work. Don’t look at emails and try to avoid social media. If you don’t plan for and protect your rest, it will be robbed from you. Remember that every time you say yes to something to add to your calendar, you are saying no to something else, and that something else is usually rest, time with God, and/or family.
Rest in God
The biggest difference between biblical rest and the R&R that the rest of the world experiences is the presence of God in our rest. The purpose of our rest is not only for our own enjoyment (though there is nothing wrong with enjoying your rest!), the purpose of our rest is to prepare our souls to better accomplish the Kingdom work God has for us. As you rest, invite God to be part of your rest. He should be on your mind and heart, and He should be a focus of your conversation. Spend time marveling at God’s creation, and thanking Him for all He has provided. Pray without the rush you may feel in your daily quiet times. Ask your family what God is teaching them individually. Pray as a family. God created rest for us so that we can better live for Him!