God created the universe and on the 7th day He rested – we learn this right in the beginning of the book of Genesis. But if we think about it, why did God rest? In Psalm 121 we see that He never slumbers or sleeps. Isaiah 40 says He neither faints nor is ever weary. He’s a perfect being that definitely wouldn’t get tired. So then, why did He rest?
This is because God leads by example. He shows us that after we finish our work we need to take a moment, step back and rest. Especially since the world is so chaotic around us, it is important we step back and rest. Resting in the Biblical sense is not just rest for the body, where we cease our work, chill and sleep. Rather it is a time of Spiritual rejuvenation. We rest IN HIM.
How can we truly rest? The answer’s in psalm 62: my soul can find rest in God alone.
I’m more of a Martha, running around doing a ton of things. Jesus says Mary has chosen a better way. We need to work, but we also need to cease from working and sit at Jesus’ feet and just BE with Him.
We need to come to God daily and sit at His feet. We need to do what Jesus told His disciples;
“Come away by yourselves to a deserted place, and rest a while”
Mark 6:31
Let’s break that up, shall we?
1) Come away – I love that Jesus uses the word ‘Come’. He’s not sending us away. Instead He’s calling us away from everything that’s going on in our lives – good/bad and to Him!
2) by yourselves – ultimately Christianity is very personal. True it’s important to have community & tradition and true the elders of the church have a richness of revelation we need to learn from. However ultimately it is personal. It is about relationship with God. And we can not grow any relationship unless we spend time – talking with, chilling out with, listening to, just being with that person. The same goes with God. We need to spend time in personal prayer, by ourselves, talking to, listening to, chilling and just being with God.
3) to a deserted place – I am the sort of person who needs everything around me to be completely dark when I sleep. I don’t like any ambient light – I carry sleep shades with me when I travel. If I’ve had a particularly late night or am tired enough, I even put my phone on airplane mode and do not like to be disturbed at all. I think this is what God is talking about. Going somewhere completely devoid of anything else so that the focus is on Him and Him alone. Imagine going on a date and staring at a television screen in the restaurant or at your cell phone half the time, what a crappy date! Can we shut off all distractions of phones, family, work, social media for our prayer time so we can truly connect with Him?
4) and rest – in 1 Kings 19, we read a passage of Elijah getting a sort of invitation to meet with God at the top of the mountain. When he gets there he experiences a great wind, but God wasn’t in the wind. And then an earthquake and then a fire but each time God wasn’t there.
And then there was silence. And God was in the silence. He is in the still. Psalms 37:7 and 46:10 tell us to Be Still and KNOW that He is God. When we are still, silent, we will experience God. And in experiencing God, we shall experience His rest.
5) a while – I love that God does not put any restrictions on us. Once I heard someone say, if we are to tithe our time, 10% of our day means 2 hours 40 mins belongs to God alone. But just like a good date wouldn’t demand a fixed time slot (& then leave as soon as it was done!), we should not be worried that God has any demands from us. Rather it is in our interest to spend time with Him – whatever we can give Him depending on what season of life we are in. I regularly evaluate not only how much time (can I give an hour? 1/2 hour? what?) but also the when (in earlier seasons of my life I found night time excellent to go to chapel post work. Then it was only mornings. These days I find a mix of morning and nights work for me. One of my close friends, a busy housewife finds her afternoons most free for God).
Wishing you God’s rest daily this 2022!
—–
Post 2/52*
I’m doing 52 posts this year 2022: reflections/testimonies/book reviews/whatever God leads. Hopefully you’ll be blessed by something I share! X
Food for thought! I love the fact that God knew all things before hand, and gave us the example of resting. With our so called busy schedule, we don’t seem to find the time for God, or don’t think spending time with Him is important. I personally really need to sit quietly and listen to what He has to say to me, and just rest and relax in His presence. Thanks for the sharing ✌
Amen! ❤️