The Commodity of Rest

When God created the world, I imagine his to-do list was – by my standard – fairly daunting; however, as he worked, he took pleasure in what he was doing and he saw that it was good. With each passing day, he became more and more productive, adding to each good work another which would compliment it. Finally, God created mankind in his own image and blessed them (Genesis 1:27-28), then he rested from all his work (Genesis 2:2).

Sometimes we forget that we are, in fact, made in God’s own image, and if God himself needed rest, how much more do we - as mere humans - need the same?

Too often, though, rest is seen as a luxury, a precious commodity not easily come by. And even when we allow ourselves to “rest”, our minds still manage to move at a thousand miles an hour as we think of all the things that need to be done.

At my house, I often “relax” on the couch, tired from the day’s work, as my kids play in the next room, thoughts of lunches to make, homework to complete, and clothes to wash slowly prodding me until I decide I’ve “rested” enough… then I get back to my to-do list.

In reality, we know our to-do lists will continue to grow and there will always be someone or something in need of our attention, but God has made known to us the path of life; in His presence there is fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11). The path of life is Christ, and in Him we can fully rest; we can achieve the fullness of joy that otherwise wouldn't be possible. Rest is not a luxury, yet it is a pleasure; it is an essential tool of living a life of victory. We need it. We crave it. And we were designed to have it.

We can’t control the world of crazy that swirls around us, but we can control how we view that world. In that same moment when my mind is spinning and “rest” is not coming easy, I can choose to be thankful that I have a comfortable couch to sit on. I can choose to be thankful that I have two able-bodied children who (mostly) enjoy each other’s company. I can choose to be thankful that we can afford enough food to feed our family. I can choose to be thankful my children have the opportunity to receive an education. I can choose to be thankful for the modern miracles we call “washer” and “dryer.”

Just as rest is a choice, so is gratitude, and they go hand-in-hand. We must be careful how we live because this world is aimed at taking our peace, our rest, but it's not the world's to take. It is a blessing we have been given, and through our covenant of peace with Christ, our rest is secured eternally.

The apostle Paul warned us about right living in his letter to the Ephesians. He told them (and us, by extension) to live not as unwise, but as wise, making the most of every opportunity. Do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, and always give thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 5:16-17, 19b-20).

Our hearts were meant to sing a song of joy throughout the day. Yes, we were meant to work and create and produce, but we were also meant to savor the simple. We were meant to be filled up and to pour out and then to rest in Him.

When my to-do list rages inside my head, when my calendar fills up faster than I can reserve its dates, and when my kids shout my name a thousand times over, Jesus is there in each of those moments, and he’s waiting to be seen. To be heard. To be needed.

And I want acknowledge His accessibility. I don’t want to throw away the everyday uses of my salvation – the peace I am afforded through Christ, the insight of God’s living Word, and a life designed to both bless me and give me rest - but instead I want to use them to live in victory and to live victoriously, I need to learn how to rest.

Jesus urged us to come to him when we are weary and burdened. He said that he will give us rest. We can learn from him; he is gentle and humble, and we will find rest for our souls (Matthew 11:28-29).

One of the simplest, most restful moments in my day begins with my morning quiet time. The time when I'm alone in my kitchen with the caramel tones of my coffee wafting about, my Bible lying in wait before me, and the peace of the moment intensely palpable. It is in the quiet moments like this when I realize that rest is essential, and I truly understand why God needed it. He certainly didn't rest due to weariness, but rather to establish the pattern for man's work cycle.

Rest is spiritual, it's redemptive, it's natural and necessary and needed, and we must consciously work to become better stewards of the moments that he gives us so we can find the rest we need in them.

Lord, help us savor the moments that you give us, reminding us that each day we have breath is a day to be lived out of purpose. Remind us that in you we can find purpose, identity, rest, and pleasure, and allow us never to forget how easily accessible you are to us through the work of your son, Christ Jesus. May our lives be lived out of a spirit of gratitude, borne of thanksgiving, and culminated in joy regardless of circumstance. We love you, and thank you for this day. In Jesus' name, Amen.