Rest: Genesis 2:1-3
God knows the importance of remembering that rest is a part of our work. On the seventh day, God rests. There is a subtle detail many overlook when reading this passage. The Bible tells us God finished His work on the seventh day.
It’s easy to think that He created for six days and rested on the seventh. In other words, it is easy to separate the act of creation from the act of resting. It is easy to think God worked for six days and then didn’t work for one day. That’s not correct at all.
God finished His work on the seventh day. The Bible isn’t making the point that God continued the process of creation onto the seventh day. The Bible is making a much more subtle point than that. The Bible is claiming that resting is a part of work and should not be considered a separate activity.
This is a powerful concept to give to our world, which is filled with people who live non-stop lives and are always on the move. We work all the time, and when we aren’t working we’re still working! When we aren’t working our primary job, we pick up a side hustles. When we aren’t working our primary job, we run our kids around to every activity under the sun. When we aren’t working our primary job, we stuff our lives full of other activities that keep our calendars full. We don’t understand God’s perspective of work at all.
Work takes its toll on us. Work deprives us of energy. Work deprives us of peace. Don’t get me wrong, work is good for us because it often brings meaning and purpose into our life. Even so, work takes its toll.
God knows that to truly work, we must rest afterwards. I cannot possibly do my job well if I never replenish the peace that should be within me. I cannot possibly do my job well if I do not replenish my energy. I cannot do my job well if I never have time to recover the creative juices necessary for what I do. To do my job well, I need to rest.
Rest, therefore, is a part of my job. I might not get paid for it. My boss might not respect my need for it [Full confession, I can say that I am one of the lucky ones and my boss does care that I rest and take care of myself]. Whether or not the people who pay my salary and who assign me tasks realize it, when I am resting, I am still doing my job. I may not be checking things off my employer’s to-do list, but as the Bible says I am absolutely finishing my work. I’m doing my best to make sure I can check things off my employer’s list when the time comes. God knows the importance of remembering that rest is a part of our work.
