By Ann Farabee
I couldn’t help but smile when I saw the young mother whose T-shirt was imprinted with the words, “I’M SO TIRED.” Her six month old son had the words, “I’M NOT TIRED” on his T-shirt.
No matter the stage of life we are in, there is always a need for rest – even if we think we are okay without it.
Here are some examples about rest in the Bible:
*Exodus 3:17 – In six days God made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.
*Mark 6:31-32 – Jesus took his disciples in a boat to get away from the crowds and to go into a time of rest.
*Matthew 8:24 – A great storm arose in the sea. The ship was covered with waves. Jesus was asleep. Yes, Jesus was resting in the middle of the storm!
Jesus demonstrated the importance of rest by resting, showing us that rest was refreshing and … restful.
So, what is rest? Definitions include:
- A bodily state characterized by minimal functional activity. (Sitting or reclining?)
- Freedom from labor. (Doing nothing?)
- A state of being motionless. (Perhaps a nap?)
Charles Spurgeon stated, “In the long run, we shall do more by sometimes doing less.”
Convinced? Ready to rest? It will take dedication and commitment, but there are quite a few RE-wards when we RE-st.
We can:
*RE-fresh
*RE-member
*RE-store
*RE-direct
*Re-lax
*RE-juvenate
*RE-cover
*RE-group
*RE-vitalize
*RE-connect
Ready to rest?
Let’s intentionally make time for rest and see how we like it!
As a teacher, I daily worked at home on lesson plans and grading assignments. I felt God leading me to commit to setting aside Sunday as a day of rest – and I did. Yes, I am talking about working six days a week and resting on the seventh day. (Not only did I stop doing schoolwork on Sunday, but housework, as well!) It allows more time with family, more time in worship, and I am rested and ready for the week ahead. It may very well have been one of the most helpful steps I have taken in my Christian life.
If you do not feel you can ‘jump’ into that commitment, how about a daily time of rest?
Take 10, 20, or 30 minutes daily where you do whatever you feel is restful.
Create your plan and schedule it into your day.
You deserve it.
God set the example.
Jesus set the example.
That’s enough for me.
Ready…Set…REST!
