“And on the seventh day God ended his work, which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work, which he had made.” Genesis 2:2 (KJV)
Five-year-old Jonathan played in the yard. He was so intent that he wouldn’t stop to go to the restroom or eat. Even at his mother’s urging he wouldn’t take a break. Finally, as dusk settled around him, his energy waned and tiredness took over. As soon as supper was ended, mom would usher Jonathan to the shower then, despite his protests, she would brush his hair and blow it dry. He was usually fast asleep before she was finished. Mom was a wise woman.
There is something essential about rest. It is a divine invention. Admittedly, the issue isn’t whether God gets tired or needs rest. The issue is about God’s completed purposes of creation and his decision to stop work and rest. Unlike young Jonathan (and most of us), God knew when to end his creative tasks and take a break.
Perhaps planning and proper organization are essential ingredients of our activities. If we plan our tasks and organize our work, then completion and achievement will signal a time for rest. If the Creator of all that exists saw the necessity of rest, how much more do we need to see its value? The Apostle Paul used our text passage to show that we should rest from our own laborious attempts to gain eternal life (Heb. 3 & 4). The point is that whether we need spiritual or physical rest, God is our example. He chose to stop his creative labors and rest. He dedicated a whole day to resting. He made it a priority.
Dear Father, thank you for the gift of the Sabbath rest. Thank you for Jesus, who is our Sabbath. I rest confident in his work on Calvary and rest from my own labors. O Lord, deliver me from busy schedules and unplanned, unorganized tasks. Grant to me the sensible practice of regular periods of rest. In Jesus’ name, I pray. AMEN
Let us praise God for his rest and live for his joy,
Pastor Smith