This is part 4 of a 9-part series. View the entire series here.
So the creation of the heavens and the earth and everything in them was completed. On the seventh day God had finished His work of creation, so He rested from all His work. And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when He rested from all His work of creation. – Genesis 2:1-3 NLT
Introduction
All day you’ve been tending to the garden. Carefully trimming, generously watering, and painstakingly removing weeds. After a long day, you find yourself running out of energy. With dripping brows, dirty hands, and aching knees, you stumble through the back door as it creaks open. You wash up in the kitchen sink and watch the grime spiral down the drain.
You take a seat at the table with a tall glass of ice cold water. You look out the window––more work to be done. But for now, you’re content to pause and take it all in. A sea of luscious green leaves sprinkled with pops of colors––ripe red tomatoes, vibrant lavender, and dazzling yellow sunflowers. Now is not a time for work. Now is the time to rest as you enjoy the fruit of your labor.
Resting in His Glory
God shows us the importance of sabbath rest in the creation story. After God speaks all things into existence, He calls it good and chooses to rest. Not because He needs to, but to set an example for us––showing us the necessary rhythm of working for God’s glory, and then resting in it.
By the time Jesus started His earthly ministry, the Jews had turned the sabbath into a rule––creating a burden rather than receiving a blessing. Jesus spoke out against it, saying, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath!” (Mark 2:27-28 NLT). Jesus knows through firsthand experience how fragile the human body is. Here, He reminds us that God gave us the sabbath to help us in our weariness.
Sabbath as a Discipline
How do we practice the sabbath as a discipline without it becoming a religious rule like it did for Israel? First, establish a firm understanding of its purpose: to allow you to be restored through enjoying God’s glory. It’s a time to reflect on God’s presence and find ultimate satisfaction in Him. If we view it as anything else, it will quickly rob us of our energy rather than replenishing it.
Sabbath may seem like a passive activity. For some, it may even feel like a waste of time. But actively taking sabbath rest is central to a healthy, functional, and long-lasting relationship with God. Don’t muscle through the weariness––press into the revivifying presence of God.
