Rest Show Notes

When my daughter was very young she would sleep in the shopping cart as I shopped for groceries. She didn’t worry about what was for dinner or how to get home so she rested.

In The Beginning – God Rested

Genesis 1 In the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth. You know that line and the story of creation over 7 days. Likewise, you know that God completed His work and rested, intentionally. God went on to tell Adam to tend the garden for six days and rest on the seventh. No additional purpose, no ‘so that…’ no ‘because …’ just cease from working. What is so important about rest that God not only commanded it but exercised it as an example for Adam to see?

Rest is often defined as quiet or sleeping, are we to sleep for a full day? NO.

Rest is many things from a hotel room as a place for rest, to belong or reside, or cease from working. Further, it is leaning on something or sitting especially after work or exertion is also rest. Additionally, it is to be present, dwelling or fixed on something like a gaze is rest.

God places such a great value in rest that He commands we exercise it every seven days.

Why would God Command a Seven Day week and to Rest?

There is no reason for us to have a seven day week apart from God’s precedent with a pinnacle of rest. God put Adam in the garden and told him to tend it, work the ground, use the resources God provided, and push back against entropy. Additionally, it was important that every six days Adam take a day for rest as part of his relationship with Him.

When God commands us to do something it is because it does not come naturally. Take honor your father and mother. We naturally look to “Johnny’s” mom and dad and see a pleasant life while looking at our own parents and see restrictions and rules. It’s easier to clean Johnny’s room because his parents have macaroni and cheese waiting. You remember. Consequently, we resist honoring our parents therefore God commands us to do it.

Does this mean those who sit around all day doing nothing are more Godly? No, rest follows work. The natural inclination of humans is to be lazy, put off work, and delay difficult tasks. Therefore, the first command is to work, at your job, at your home and by serving God’s other children and being productive for society. Playing video games for hours on end (unless you work in the game industry) is not work nor is it advancing society or serving God’s children. That is to say, it is just plain laziness and wasting time. Rest is the macaroni and cheese after work.

Consider Abraham and Rest

Did you know there was almost two thousand five hundred years between God’s command to work six days and rest one, and Moses receiving the Ten Commandments for the nation of Israel? Moses received the Torah four hundred years after Abraham circumcised the men in his household. Moreover, the first circumcision was forty years after God gave the promise of a nation to Abraham. Torah is the first five books of the Old Testament which contains the Ten Commandments. Yet, Abraham was counted as righteous four hundred and forty years before there  was a Law defining righteousness.

What made Abraham stand out? He built an empire. For example, he had an army of over three hundred men. Abraham was extremely wealthy but he is known for his hospitality. His tent had openings on all four sides so he could see a stranger approaching from any direction. To clarify, not out of fear but to welcome and feed travelers. He noticed travelers, ceased from working and ministered to them by giving them water and food. To Abraham it was more important to be hospitable.

Two travelers were angels traveling to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah with whom Abraham negotiated to save the city his nephew Lot lived there. This in turn, led to two nations being formed from the two daughters of Lot that were saved because of Abraham. Abraham was hospitable because he knew rest was important. He honored rest and provided rest to weary travelers. Honoring the command to rest is not just about you. It allows you to rest but also the land, animals, and even servants or slaves. Abraham’s hospitality allowed travelers to rest which made him stand out.

Shabbat Rest

Jews honor the Shabbat by preparing during the day Friday and ceasing from work from sundown until after sundown on Saturday. Shabbat is truly resting and ceasing from work while not requiring others to work for you. Meaning, you have prepared all you need so everyone can rest.

Time to Rest?

With the giving of Torah, God gave seven festivals, each unique but all involve some type of rest activity, be it fasting, ceasing from work, celebrating, and/or going to Temple. They focus on God and others while resting.

A child taking a nap does not worry about what is for dinner. Children know how to rest. Rest is ceasing from worrying, cease from planning, cease from preparing, cease from all activity of work. But what do you do? Focus on the One who provides for you!

God created rest to remind you to refocus your eyes, your heart, and your soul on the One who provides it all. The One who provides;

• • Gifts, skills, and talents
  • Rain and sun to make crops grow
  • Life itself
  • Family
  • Rest

Rest to take time to

• • Focus on God
  • Read your Bible
  • Celebrate
  • Build relationships
  • Be hospitable

Two Toddlers Traveling

While traveling recently I noticed two two-year-old at the airport. Flight time is 7:45pm, bedtime. Sounds like a good plan if you execute it well and allow the toddlers to rest.

The first two-year-old’s mother was very vocal though the child did not have the ability to vocalize his discomfort or distress. They were both loud, cranky, argumentative, and aggressive. Consequently, she confined him to her lap, raised her voice, and threatened him which exacerbated the situation. She threatened to keep him from going to the beach which was ridiculous because she was getting on that plane no matter how he felt.

Unfortunately, religion often implicates God is similar to this mother, harsh, restrictive, and demanding.

The second two-year-old’s mother was virtually silent but very active. When her daughter wanted to walk around, she walked with her. After the tablet wouldn’t play it’s video and her daughter threw headphones to the floor, she responded by playing peek-a-boo. As the daughter showed signs of boredom or curiosity the mother responded in a manner to keep her safe, comfortable, and peaceful.

Christian Rest

When you practice resting on a regular basis you experience God as an active, patient, and loving provider more like the second mother. You remember you are His child. He doesn’t subject you to empty threats. When you want to wander, even into danger, He walks with you around the airport gently directing you back to the gate. When you are hangry, He provides. God loves you.

When we rest we connect with God and tell God

• • I believe in You
  • I believe Your Word
  • I trust You

The little girl believed her parents were going to take care of her, keep her safe, provide for her, and they were going to take her where they were going. They weren’t going to leave her behind or shut her out. Her parents were there, and they were present. Therefore, she could rest in their support, she could lean into their love, and she could trust them.

Religion

• • Threatens
  • Confines
  • Works through fear
  • Oppresses
  • Is like the mother of the boy

The boy knew he needed to stay with mom but knew it sure wasn’t comfortable, he wasn’t happy, and he certainly didn’t want to rest. She was restrictive, unbelievable, and threatening so he was resistant.

God calls us to Himself, not religion. Building a deep relationship and a solid foundation on who God is for you and who God can be in your life,which requires that you rest in Him.

To Live BRIGHTLY, rest is vital. If you don’t rest in God, you are working too hard.

Pray with me

Dear Lord,

Thank You for being a gently, merciful, and loving Father who walks with me even when I stray and directs my path to Your plan for me. The business of this world clamors for my time and attention and I have neglected the better things like resting through reading Your Word and offering hospitality to others. Jesus help me to be more childlike in my rest. Holy Spirit bring to mind my need for rest, to cease form working, producing, and creating so I can remember all You have done for me and through me. Lord I want to be mindful of my actions to be service to Your children and to advance society for Your good. Thank You Lord for asking me to meet with You when I rest and using me to help others to learn to rest by my example.

In Jesus name, Amen.

©2015, 2021 Elayne Cross

Rest Scriptures

God uses Scripture to speak directly to you and into your life!

He calls you . . .

Beloved – Colossians 3:12

Child – John 1:12; Ephesians 2:19; Ephesians 1:5

Friend – John 15:15

His Workmanship – Ephesians 2:10; Ephesians 3:19; Philippians 1:6

Chosen – Colossians 3:12; Ephesians 1:4 and 11

Heir – Colossians 1:12; Titus 3:4-7

Anointed – 2 Corinthians 1:21-22; 1 John 2:20

Blameless – 1 Corinthians 1:8; Romans 1:12; Ephesians 1:4 and 8; Colossians 1:14

the Righteousness of God – 2 Corinthians 5:21

Citizen of Heaven – Philippians 3:20

Member of the Body of Christ – 1 Corinthians 12:27

the Temple of God – Ephesians 2:21; 1 Corinthians 6:19; Ephesians 2:22

His Instrument – Colossians 1:12; Ephesians 6:4; Ephesians 5:21

Light To the World – Matthew 5:14; Ephesians 5:8-9; Act 1:8

Protected – John 10:28; Philippians 4:7; 1 John 5:18

Victorious – 1 Corinthians 15:57; 1 John 5:4; Romans 8:37

Set Apart – Ephesians 1:13

Blessed – Ephesians 1:3

A New Creation – 2 Corinthians 5:17

                  And much more . . . Note: If you hear something negative, the source is NOT God!!

Copyright © 2021 Elayne Cross