Soul Care - Rest
by Mary Elsbury
The word “rest” is used in so many different ways. We go to a restaurant to have a meal; we use a rest area when traveling; we go to the restroom when necessary; various music compositions contain a rest – the list could go on. But what does it really mean? Our friends at Merriam-Webster define rest as “repose, sleep; freedom from activity or labor; a place for lodging; and peace of mind of spirit.” WOW! So many uses for a little word.
When I was in seminary, my thesis was entitled, The Sabbath Rest of God. The Bible is filled with examples of when we are told to rest, how we are to rest, and how it is beneficial for our minds and bodies. I think the best definition of Biblical rest I found is this: it’s not only something we do for our body, soul, and spirit, but a form of worship and a way to experience more of Jesus’ love for us. Deep rest is when we completely trust the sovereignty of God and lean into His Holy Spirit, even in the midst of the craziest situations.
The challenge to rest, to cease from activity, goes against everything in western culture. There are societies that understand a siesta, a need to rest in the hottest part of the day. Others take a holiday that covers weeks, not days, to allow the body and mind to recoup and regenerate. Some take a sabbatical just to recharge or pursue a dream. There is within each soul a need and desire to rest. The day of rest prescribed in Genesis 1, becomes law in Exodus 20:8-11:
Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
Did you catch that? The LORD rested on the seventh day. God is on a creative roll when suddenly he stops. Six days of creative energy climaxes with humanity. It is all very good. And God rests. Our God is one of amazing power and yet He determined that on the seventh day He would rest. Would it not be wise to take the hint? Our life is consumed instead of lived with joy and purpose. The excuse is often that there is simply not enough time to rest, that God’s people cannot afford to rest.
Humans tend to find their identity in what they do. A person who has an important job is considered more valuable than one with insignificant employment. Material wealth determines significance. Identity is also connected with how much time one spends on the job. The Sabbath shifts the emphasis from doing to being. Only by totally submitting one’s life to God and entering his Sabbath rest can one find identity. Identity is relational, based in relationship with God, not what the believer does for God.
Every human being is in a weekly war. We strive, fight, negotiate, and surrender to deadlines and expectations. We crave rest. The spirit, body, mind, and emotions cry out for the rest God intended. We are invited to remember the Sabbath all week and to anticipate and long for its observance. The Sabbath is an invitation to enter into what God intended – his rest.
If you watch your step on the Sabbath and don’t use my holy day for personal advantage, If you treat the Sabbath as a day of joy, God’s holy day as a celebration, If you honor it by refusing ‘business as usual,’ making money, running here and there - Then you’ll be free to enjoy God! Isaiah 58:13-14 (The Message)
