Let’s talk about rest, shall we.

One way God creates, works, and expresses himself is in patterns and cycles. This is the very structure on which mathematics and science are based. (And yes, God is in both of those areas. Shoot, God created both of those things to exist and work in harmony. I digress.)

The cycles and patterns can be seen from the very beginning of time: the sun and moon, the stars, the seasons, the water cycle, the rock cycle, the life cycle, etc.

One of the very first cycles God set up was that of rest. Let’s take a look.

The Scripture

Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array.

² By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. ³ Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done

Genesis 2:2-3 [NIV]

I really don’t believe that God was tuckered out from all of His creating on the previous days. He set into place a pattern, a cycle of blessing, for you and I to follow – a day of rest. He made it holy, our rest day is a “set apart” day, just for us, a special gift.

Many like to point out that Sabbath is commanded in the ten commandments and we are no longer under the law. I would say, true.

Yet, when you think about the verses above, the pattern of one rest day set apart from the others, is woven into the very fabric of creation. The sabbath comes even before the law, it is of God’s heart for us.

The Intent

The intent of the law is what Jesus was always trying to get His people to see. The law had been reduced to rules and hardship. It had become devoid of relationship. It had turned from covenant to contract.

Jesus was scolded many times by the religious leaders for performing miracles (Mark 3:1-6), harvesting (Mark 2:23-28), and other such things on sabbath.

When I first started thinking about keeping the cycle of Sabbath, a day of rest, set apart from the others. I started getting aggravated. I didn’t know how to “keep” the Sabbath. What rules do I follow? What things can I or can’t I do?

I was missing the point.

Let me offer to you, that if you go to Genesis, before the Law, you find God’s heart. God’s intent for Sabbath. If you choose to learn and do Sabbath, remember it is a gift from God. A gift from His heart, not to cause more stress, but to relieve stress from you.

It is a day to enjoy together with our Father God.

Jesus took great pleasure in healing people, and providing food for His disciples. This is part of the reason that when He chose to do those things on a Sabbath day, He was not wrong.

Sabbath brings life.

The Crime

We have an adversary who is cunning. No where in scripture does it say that Satan is stupid. He knows the power of God’s blessing cycles. And when it comes to one of the biggest crimes against a person, it is that the greatest of all thieves has stolen our rest.

People, this should make you mad.

Satan has stolen a precious gift from you and from me. A gift that God set up at the beginning of time for all. A gift from the very heart of our Father to His child.

I envision our Father in heaven smiling with such warmth and love. He is handing us a beautifully wrapped gift of rest. We take it, turn around, and Satan steals it right out of our hands.

My gift from my Father’s heart…I want it back.

The Conclusion

I know we are no longer under the law. Yet, this precedes the law, and is straight from the heart of God to all people. I believe Satan has done some very serious damage in deceiving us into giving up our rest.

And, I also believe we are at fault for giving it up. We have become fine with doing our own thing. We can rest tomorrow, or the next, or the next…well you get it. The “next” never seems to come. We get tired, worn out, grumpy, and our light is harder and harder to keep shining.

That is why He gave us the pattern of a day “set apart” for rest. I believe we need to once again be diligent in guarding a day of rest. I don’t think it needs to be ritualistic or taken over by religion. But we do need to remember this was a gift to us. It is God’s heart toward us to have a rest day, one out of seven days.

In a culture that treasures restlessness, may we seek the strength, the courage, and the fortitude to once again rest (play, enjoy, unwind…) with Him.

Shalom