What Is Our Rest Connected To? (part 6)

 *our rest is connected to our Sabbath

That may sound a little redundant to say, but do we actually observe a Sabbath day? Before the lock-down and the craziness of that year, Dean and I started to really practice Sabbath. To make an intentional day, usually Friday or Saturday, where we do things that bring rest, refreshment and connection. We have not always been great at it and sometimes our schedule doesn’t allow a full day or at all, but we try.

In the July 14th blog “Breathe” we talked about how Sabbath started with God. After He created everything, He rested. (Genesis 2:2&3)

God set it apart to Himself and reminds us in Exodus 20:8 “Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.”

God had to remind Israel about the Sabbath. They had been slaves and didn’t have a choice if they worked or not. Sabbath wasn’t a normal part of their lives. They had to change their mindset and actions from captivity to freedom. They no longer needed to perform on demand, but they needed to learn how to live in a rhythm of work and rest.

With their freedom came rest!

They were being reminded to keep it set apart, holy from what the other days looked like.

Perhaps God knew how we would become so busy with life and put more and more demands on our time, so He modeled a rhythm of rest for us.

One of the things we learned and what God taught Israel is that Sabbath needs to be prepared for.

We all know about how God provided manna for Israel as we read in Exodus 16:22-26. The text tells us that they had to gather double the amount of food on the 6th day, the day before their rest. Hang with me here for a minute…

Even though Israel hated being slaves they found comfort with the familiar - like we all do - so, as God was leading them in the wilderness they had to learn how to trust God as He led them, protected them and provided for them. They learned that if they didn’t trust that manna would be there again the next morning and tried to double up on any other day but the 6th, it would turn maggoty. Over time, they learned that God is faithful and the manna would be safe to eat on Sabbath. They learned to rest and trust in His faithfulness and provision for them.

It is the same with us, over time and through many situations we learn that as we trust God to guide and provide for us, we can find rest.

Before Sabbath, Dean and I work to get all the house, yard and errands done, unless it is a part of Sabbath. Dean likes to get out in the yard, so for him it can be a refreshing time. We like to hit some stores and hang out, so being together and doing errands can be a time of connecting.

Observing Sabbath is a command from God, it is not a suggestion. We don’t get extra credit for not resting.

“But Samuel replied, ‘what is more pleasing to the LORD:
your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice?
Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice,
and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.’”
1 Samuel 15:22

What are we sacrificing in our health and relationships because we are not obedient to take time to step back and rest; to breathe; to regroup; to connect with God and others?

Carey Nieuwhof says:  “You can tell yourself it’s a busy season, but if your busy season has no end, it’s not a season- it’s your life.”

Perhaps we don’t practice Sabbath because we feel like if we do, everything will fall apart; we don’t have a partner to help shoulder all the responsibility; we may have pride or find our significance in our busyness; we may use busyness as an excuse to not deal with things emotionally or mentally. Maybe our schedule and busyness has become an idol to us.

Levi Lusko says: “We do not trust God because we do not rest, which leads to idolatry.”

Idolatry is simply anything, other than God, that we put our time, energy, and resources in. It is what we really believe in or have faith in.

When we truly trust in God, we can rest knowing He’s got it under control.

In God’s upside down Kingdom, it goes against everything we are told and feel like we are supposed to do. We are supposed to be productive and run on all cylinders at all times. Maybe, in God’s Kingdom success looks different than what we are told by our culture, our family, our friends, our work, our church. Success, according to these influences, is a moving target. It can change on a dime and leave us running to catch up.

God said to rest so we can run…full…not exhausted and tired. We can run full in every area of our life. We can be refreshed, even in the middle of a crazy-busy time.

Let’s not get it twisted and use it as an excuse for laziness. We are to still work and do that well or take care of our family and do that well.

“Work willingly at whatever you do,
as though you were working for the Lord
rather than people.”
Colossians 3:23

I think it’s more about the posture of our hearts and motive behind it.

In the story of Mary and Martha, we see Martha was feeling overlooked and taken advantage of.
Her worry about all that needed to happen became weariness and that led to not having rest and peace in her life. She chose busyness over relationship.

Can we trust God with His promise to take care of us when we rest?

“Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.”
1 Peter 5:7

“Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you.
He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.”
Psalm 55:22

Some questions to ponder in your time with God this week:
* Write down some things that are soul-restorative and refreshing. Pick a couple of things to add to your life this week.
* Carey Nieuwhof:  “You can tell yourself it’s a busy season, but if your busy season has no end, it’s not a season- it’s your life.”
* In regard to Carey’s quote, how would you describe your “season of life”?
* What’s one thing you can do to start having a Sabbath?

I hope you have a restful day!!
All My Love ~
xo Jodi

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