SABBATH: WELCOME TO LIFE
This week at Resonate, we kicked off a new series titled ‘Sabbath.’ As you may have guessed, this series is all about rest. That doesn’t mean you can sleep through it. In fact, in a world where we’re busier than ever, it’s a vital message.
A warning in advance, this series will challenge you because it is counter-cultural. Here’s the big idea – God wants us to rest. In fact, He even promised it!
God wants us to rest.
Here’s what the Bible says in Matthew 11:28-30: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Did you catch that? In this verse, Jesus clearly says, “I WILL give you rest.” That’s a promise.
He invited us to rest from the beginning.
We can go back further in the Bible to see just how importance rest was, and is to God, right rom the beginning. We only have to read two chapters of the Bible to hear mention of the Sabbath. Genesis 2:2-3 is an account of the creation story, and it states, “By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. 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.”
God is all-powerful. It doesn’t state anywhere that He was tired – He is never weary – so why did He rest? The answer’s in the timing of His rest. The Bible says that God rested on the 7th day. Do you know what He created the day before? Humanity. This means that on humanity’s first day of existence, God rested to be with us.
We often think about rest as the break we take when we earned it. But before humans even had the opportunity to earn anything, God focused on rest, because He wanted us to prioritize resting with Him.
The shift from invitation to command.
Over time, humanity has drifted away from viewing rest as an asset. Oftentimes, we see it as a chore, or something we need to do that gets in the way of productivity. Again, we’ve chosen to view rest as something that must be earned AFTER the work’s been done – and it’s never done. Even though technology has impacted our busyness, people centuries ago also struggled with the idea of rest. So much so, in fact, that God, recognizing our need for rest and its vital role in our lives, had to shift His tone from an invitation to rest to a command in Exodus 20:8-11.
God commanded, “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.”
While a command may seem harsher than an invitation, it was a necessary step to redirect our focus from worldly pursuits to restful communion with Him.
Jesus’ invitational rest.
God made us with free will for a reason, and He doesn’t want us to follow Him out of obligation or fear. That’s why He sent Jesus – to lead with love and restore relationship with humanity. We can get closer to the Father through Him.
It’s through Jesus that God made rest invitational again. He came to fulfill the law and restore the original invitation of rest from God. In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus calls us to learn from Him, to take up His yoke, and find rest for our souls. In His time on earth, we can see Jesus take time to rest and reconnect with the Father. Jesus showed us that Sabbath is not a burden but a gift – a time to experience His peace and renewal.
The importance of rest.
If Jesus talks about something, we’d better listen. That means that rest is important. See, rest is not merely a physical break, it encompasses emotional, mental, and spiritual rejuvenation. Matthew 22:37-39 teaches us that everything God desires for us is rooted in love, since love is integral to His greatest commandments. Yet, especially when we’re exhausted, it can be challenging to fully love others. Therefore, rest is vital to overcoming the obstacle of exhaustion, enabling us to love as God intends.
Finding time to rest can be equally as challenging. We fear missing out and worry about falling behind in a world that glorifies busyness. The result is anxiety, panic, and a closing off of ourselves. That’s why it’s important to be intentional in our rest. Perfect love casts out all fear, and by embracing rest, we resist cultural norms and prioritize our relationship with God.
The keys to resting well.
So we need rest to love others well, and we need to be intentional in our rest. But how do we Sabbath well? Here’s a start:
1. Choose a date and time: By setting aside a specific time or day for rest and worship, we can be more intentional in our time. Plan ahead to protect this time.
2. Start with something delightful: Begin your Sabbath with an activity that brings you joy, whether it’s spending time in nature, reading, painting, or engaging in hobbies that rejuvenate your spirit. Allow this delightful experience to kickstart your day of rest.
3. Focus on stopping: Identify a few activities or habits that you can intentionally pause during Sabbath. This could be something general like turning off your phone or abstaining from all work-related activities, or specific such as refraining from shopping. By stopping these routines, you can create space to fully embrace the rest God has designed for you.
Remember, Sabbath observance shouldn’t become legalistic. God didn’t establish the Sabbath for His benefit, but for ours. It’s an opportunity to experience His presence, find rest for our weary souls, and align ourselves with His promises. How will you be resting this week?
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