Rest as Part of Worship

The art of rest is something that can benefit Christians.  It is something that was instituted by God at the end of His creative efforts and a regular part of Jesus life.  Resting allows us to step back from our efforts  and rejuvenate our minds and bodies. It affords us time with God, family, and our religious community.  But why did God institute rest?

On the Seventh Day of the Creative Cycle, God rested. For the Israelites, He also commanded a weekly sabbath rest from labor which was to exemplify their reliance on God for their needs and success.   In our Christian era, our continued obedience allows us to enter God’s rest.  We are not meant to spend our time laboring and relying on our own effort constantly.  In fact, as a Christian, much of salvation has already been completed through Jesus.  We only have to believe.

The Weekly Sabbath Rest

Instituted at creation as a day of rest, it remains the fourth commandment and is a part of Jewish life. The practice of putting away everyday concerns to focus on God and family allows for both physical rest and spiritual growth.  While Christians are not under the Sabbath law, it still holds the benefit of understanding that God instituted it as a regular way to remain centered in life and spirituality.

As a practice, do you have a specified weekly time to turn off duties and concerns and meditate on how God can provide for your daily needs? Spending time in prayer and reading the bible while enjoying a meal with family and friends can allow for a level of relaxation that can yield real benefits.

Jesus Practiced Rest Regularly

Jesus often rested alone as a way to recover from his preaching efforts. He taught his disciples to do the same. We are social beings. We are not spiritual twenty-four hours of the day and Jesus showed that he was balanced taking time out to pray alone daily, resting after preaching efforts and spending time socializing with his disciples. He demonstrated a balanced life.

The rest he practiced was time to do something enjoyable with minimal effort. Have you developed a hobby you would like to pursue outside of work and church activities? It is well worth it. You can also spend the time to catch up on needed sleep. By all means, resting as a form of relaxation is a part of bringing honor to what God did at creation.

As Jesus stated, life was created as a gift, and he came to make sure that we can enjoy it abundantly.

Rest of Mind, Rest of Effort

Life has trials and responsibilities. Yet, worrying is not to be a part of the Christian mindset. God promises through his word that He will supply our needs if we focus on our relationship with Him and continue to develop our Christian qualities.  It may take some effort to understand and see this in action. Jesus asks us to meditate on the ways that God supplies for all his creation. As humans, we are worth so much more than the animals and the flowers.

As a practice, it is a good idea to note your needs and how they were fulfilled. The more you practice acknowledging God’s hand in your life, the more you will see Him move.  This sort of thankful meditation allows us to rest our mind from any anxieties that might have us toiling around needlessly.

Through keeping our mind on God and with a thankful meditative spirit, the answer that we need will come more easily and more precisely.  Even for creatives, rest of mind is necessary!

Rest Allows Us to Wait on God

The Christian life requires development of patience.  Patience through trials. Patience through the mundane aspects of life. Learning to wait with the correct attitude will cause our joy to be maintained and our faith increased when we see how God consistently provides.  Take time in life to smell the flowers. Take time to read the bible and apply its principles. Remember that consistent obedience brings about God’s blessings and the increased ability to remain in his rest; free from the anxiety that plagues most of the world.

Rest also allows us to remember our creator and that the purpose of life is not about the daily 9-5.  It is about relationship with God, ourselves, family, and neighbor.