“Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 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. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.” (Genesis 2:1-3 KJV)
Reflecting on our lives and the many blessings we enjoy is the beginning and the end of the Thanksgiving holiday. Today’s text provides a wonderful example for doing such reflections. Here the Creator, the Lord God reviews his own creative handiwork and pronounces his creation to be a “very good” thing (Gen. 1:31).
He reflects upon his own wisdom and power. By this example of reflecting, pronouncing and resting, he has given us an example to follow. Having given us this ability to reflect, he surely must expect that we should practice that ability regularly. In fact, the Sabbath was established for that very activity. Then our Lord’s apostles adjusted that to the first day of the week, the Lord’s day.
What would our lives become if we began each week with a restful reflection of our lives, the blessings we enjoy and the future ahead? If we honestly communed with our hearts concerning where we have been and where our present steps will take us, how might such reflection change our lives? If we truly rested in the presence of the Holy One and sought his guidance, what would be the results?
Yet, we have difficulty even stopping for a real rest. Our minds are so caught up in the agenda of getting on with life that we can’t truly rest because someone might think us lazy; we might not get something accomplished; a bit of dust or clutter might collect; we might miss a TV show, a sports event or a mall sale; and a host of other things might get ignored. We deceive ourselves into thinking that a pronouncement of good upon our lives is some kind of personal failure. We deceive ourselves into thinking that sanctifying a day for rest and reflection is somehow a moral failure.
Yet, our God exemplified the proper understanding. Do your best to create something useful, meaningful, lasting. Then, survey it from an eternal perspective and give it mark of quality. Finally, rest and reflect upon your work, because it represents a finished quality to your efforts.
Since we are finite creatures, we might simply consider that as each portion of our lives passes into history, it automatically becomes a finished product of life. We can’t change it, so the need for a regular day of rest and reflection becomes even more critical in relation to our future. Our efforts become not a finished product but a reflection of where we are headed.
When the day has ended, having achieved the prescribed chores, we can savor the joy of well-being. When each month has passed, we can savor the joy of knowing that everything is in its proper place. Then as the year ends with sparkles and fireworks, we can savor the joy of hope for the future. And finally we can confidently face the valley of shadows, savoring the joy of a life well-lived and complete.
With regular rest and reflection, we can take leave of this world savoring the knowledge that there are no obstacles of unfinished business in our lives. We can rest and savor the journey to the end.
Dear Father, thank you for the example of rest and reflection. Empower us to also rest and reflect on our lives. Help us make the necessary adjustments to achieve your purpose. This I pray in the name of Jesus. AMEN
Be courageous today in your rest and reflections,