Rest

   

  This weekend Pastor Ben talked about rest and how after six days of creating, God took the seventh and rested. One might ask how can a God that is all powerful, need a day of rest? I think that is a legitimate question, but I also think that we need to redefine what rest is. Here are some of my observations about rest and how we can redefine it. 

  My first observation is that we have to decipher between what is being lazy and it means to be restful. Laziness usually means a lack of ambition, no drive and has no real sense of purpose. We can be lazy and busy at the same time if we don’t have a clear goal and or purpose/plan to get something done. True rest is that we are intentional about doing it. It is carving out time to spend with God took be renewed by Him and to foster a relationship with Him. This happens through the study of Scripture, prayer, worship and the gathering of believers. One of the ways I find ways to rest and connect with God is by grabbing my camera and head to a state park to take pictures, walk and to commune with God. Holy rest takes us out of the ordinary and our comfort zone to be more aware of God and to communicate with Him. 

  My second observation is that rest is that we are relying on God. In the Old Testament, there is a thing called the Year of Jubilee. It happened every seven years where the fields go unworked, debts are forgiven and slaves are made free. This is really radical because it forced Gods people to rely on God and be in communication with Him. In a culture that almost relies on either relying on ourselves to get stuff done or relying one someone else to it without much effort or participation from us. To sum it up, it is having that peace that we don’t need to do it all. Psalms 50:10 proclaims that every beast in the woods is Gods along with the cattle on a thousand hills. God is able and willing to provide for all of our needs.

   My third observation our beliefs come out in not what we say, but what we do. We can say we are going to loose that extra ten pounds, or work on communicating with those important to us. If we don’t put in the work   to it, what we say is pointless. Godly rest helps us to not only find out what is important but to develop the faith and relationship with God to put our words into action.

  My final observation is twofold. The first one do we not holy rest because it requires change either in thought, action, speech or location. How often do we stay in our disfunction because we either enjoy it, because it gives a right to do nothing but complain or it takes work.  In essence we are comfortable with the sin in our lives and we don’t mind being held in bondage by it. In essence we don’t want to do the work that God is calling us to so we would rather be a slave to sin. The other part is that God is more concerned about our character, because it affects everything we do and our relationships. Our we more concerned with God forming our character and us abiding in Him, or do rather do our own thing?

  So here are a couple of questions to ponder;

    What are those things that steal our joy and our Holy rest? 

     If Gods grace is free and unmerited, does it still need a response from God?

  What does it mean to abide? 

Grace and Peace

Tom Boustead