About a year ago, our family began practicing Sabbath. Sabbath means to pause, cease, or rest. But I have never been very good at rest. Can you relate? So taking this on wasn’t something that was easy for me. I felt antsy and was drawn to get up and do things. But after a while, it became a rhythm. It felt right. And I learned so much about God by having a day of rest. Now I look forward to my Sabbath and crave it all week.
When the world tells us to work harder and do more, God calls us to rest. I want to invite you to push against the busy life the world calls us to and find true rest. A rest that is life-changing and will affect every part of your life.
Here are four things I learned about God by having a day of rest:
1. He blesses rest. In Genesis 2:2-3, God has completed His work of creation. It is beautiful, and it is good. Let’s not miss the very important next step: He takes the time to pause from His work. He blesses, sanctifies, and sets aside the Sabbath. He had put lots of energy into those first six days, working in a focused way and planning ahead for a day of Sabbath. So His rest the following day was intentional and blessed—rest should never be an afterthought. God sets us up for success by providing a perfect example of holy rest.
2. He made us in His image. This concept seems so simple, but at the same time, it’s too big for us to fathom. As image-bearers, if our Creator takes the time to slow down, then we should too. We are not superheroes. We are weak, and we need rest for our bodies. God sets a beautiful example for us and takes joy in His creation. When we take the time to enjoy His creation, we see how beautifully He created us to worship Him through the act of rest.
3. God cares about details. I see God in my Saturday morning cup of coffee that is always a little more perfect than the rest of the week. I feel Him in the blanket I wrap around myself when I curl up in my favorite corner of the couch. I hear Him in my children’s laughter as we play because I’ve taken time to enjoy the gifts in front of me. God is a Creator of beautiful details, and by taking time to rest we notice Him even more.
4. He delights in our dependence on Him. When my week isn’t packed full, and I know there will be at least 24 hours of pure rest, it makes me rely on Him more the remaining 144 hours of the week. I take my work to Him, asking Him to bless it and help my time be focused and fruitful. On Friday evening, when the computer closes, I don’t stress because I know He controls my time and my rest.
God is in every detail, working all things together for good. As a good Father, He desires to bless our rest. When we take time to slow down and enjoy His gifts, we are being renewed and made more like Him. So, take some time to rest—even implement a whole day of rest—and watch how God changes you.
