Our fast-paced world has more than enough activities to keep us busy, and most of us wonder when we can take a break from the demanding pressures that consume our lives. Surely, God doesn’t expect us to live full-throttle all the time, does He?
The answer is a definite “no”. God knew from the beginning that we need a rest to keep us functioning at a level that is both comfortable and optimal for our best performance during our peak hours. The time He set aside for rest was the weekly seventh-day rest we call the Sabbath. It was so important to Him that He offers to join us in this rest. Therefore, it becomes our “we” time–a special day we can spend with our heavenly Maker. Just as human couples need time together (“date-nights”, if you will), we need this unique connection to keep our relationship with God healthy and growing.
If you are only indulging in “me” time–a time to get away from family and friends and focus on your own needs–you may be missing out on the greatest “rest” of all–the one that includes the very Source of our being. His rest not only refreshes us, it replenishes us. God promises to replace our strength with His strength. After resting with Him, we are able to handle life much more than we could if we attempted it without Him.
The day He declared holy is not something we should forget to observe…for our own benefit. And yet, God knew our human tendency of forgetting. When He wrote the Ten Commandments with His own finger in stone (showing its permanence), He said to REMEMBER the Sabbath, reminding us again that it was the seventh-day of the week, a time He made holy for the purpose of resting in Him. That would, of course, be on Saturday, the day our Jewish friends have kept diligently for thousands of years.
Is God really interested in our rest with Him? Here are some Bible verses that tell us so:
- Psalm 37:7 (David) “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him…”
- Matthew 11:28 (Jesus) “Come unto Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
- Hebrews 4:9 (after Jesus) “There remains therefore a rest for the people of God.”
If you want rest that is “out of this world”, try resting with God on the day He made holy for that purpose. Your “me” time will pale by comparison. God guarantees your “we” time will increase your faith and your productivity for the rest of the week and the rest of your life.
