“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 eternal salvation. Unlike young Jonathan (and most of us), God knew when his task was completed. He knew when to stop and relax.
Perhaps planning and proper organization are essential ingredients of our activities. If we plan our tasks and organize our work, then completion 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 rest from his labors. God’s example, however, is not so much about physical rest and recreation, although it does apply. Rather, God understood there was nothing else He could do for the salvation of mankind, and He had to rest in that fact trusting humanity to accept it and receive it. Many post modern people have not heard this message: we can not save ourselves, no matter how hard or how smart we work at it. God finished that eternal work in Jesus Christ, thus making him our rest!
Dear Father, thank you for your gift of rest in Christ Jesus. I rest confident in his work on Calvary. O Lord, deliver me from busy schedules and unplanned, unorganized tasks. Grant to me the sensible practice of regular periods of rest. This I pray in the name of Jesus. AMEN
Be encouraged today God’s completed work of salvation,