Experiencing Rest

In many places we hear of governments and companies experimenting for 4 day work weeks.  It’s all about employees finding quality of life, which includes time for rest and renewal.

Unless we are careful, any extra time we might receive from a change in a work week will quickly be eaten up by other activities.

Remember the digital paperless office that now includes far more paper than we ever used before?  How about all the convenient gadgets like our phones and tablets that consume so much of our time these days?

We know from Scripture that God set the example by working for 6 days of creation and then resting on the seventh. 

God offers that balance of creative activity and rest to us today:

This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: “Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength. But you would have none of it.

Isaiah 30:15

We can see that God offered rest to His chosen people, Israel, but through disobedience and unbelief they did not enter into that rest. 

Where does that leave us today?  We are invited to rest, shown how to enter into it, and challenged to choose for it.

God’s promise of entering his rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it. For this good news—that God has prepared this rest—has been announced to us just as it was to them. But it did them no good because they didn’t share the faith of those who listened to God. For only we who believe can enter his rest.

Hebrews 4:1-3

Loving God, You have prepared a good life for us – one of both creative activities that bring good and sweet times of rest and refreshing. 

It all hinges on trusting in Your plans for us and making choices that give rest a significant place in our daily and weekly schedules. 

We need the peace and confidence that regularly focusing our minds on Your good Words, and letting our hearts come to peace in Your presence gives us.

Help us to trust You when You promise to take care of us and provide for us without us over working.  Give us faith to rest in You rather than seeking comfort in activities and gadgets that just distract us from our concerns but still keep us occupied.

Help us to listen to You, trust, Your instructions, and make intentional choices to enter into times of rest for body, mind, and spirit.  Amen

Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength.

Let’s act on that today.