Rest - Through Fresh Eyes
I’m not a practical thinker. Whatever side of the brain God created to connect the dots is definitely not my dominant side! But praise the Lord – He gave me a husband who’s super logical, super practical, and one of the world’s best dot-connectors! Where would I be without him? Scary to imagine – we’ll just say that.
I attended a women’s conference last month, and one of the speakers spoke on the topic of rest. And what she said was a huge “ah-ha!” moment for me. Here are a few verses from Genesis 1 and 2 that she referenced:
“Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our own image, in Our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, and over all the creatures that move along the ground’…God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.’…God saw all that He had made and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning – the sixth day. By the seventh day, God had finished the work He had been doing; so on the seventh day He rested from all His work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it He rested from all the work of creating that He had done.”
You may be quicker on the draw than I am so bear with me. Here’s where the speaker connected the dots that I, after reading the creation account too many times to keep track of, had never connected.
What was the first day of man’s existence? It was a day of rest.
From what? He hadn’t done any work. He wasn’t tired. His muscles and brain didn’t ache. The speaker suggested that while rest can be restorative when our reserves are depleted, God is also using rest to prepare us for what’s next. In Adam’s case, he was about to establish dominion over the entire created world!
Think of a baby. From the moment that child is conceived, there’s constant activity as cells divide, the brain develops, the heart begins to beat, tiny fingers and toes wiggle, lungs prepare for the task of breathing. That’s a lot of busyness!
At the same time, that child is cocooned in warmth. Every need is met through the supply of nutrients and other essentials being piped in through the umbilical cord. Sounds are soft and muted. That baby is protected. That baby is resting. That baby is preparing for life outside the womb.
Now let’s consider the baby Jesus – conceived, developing, protected by His mother’s body. This infant King is at rest. And more than preparing for life outside of the womb, Jesus is preparing to be our Savior.
One of Jesus’ most comforting quotes addresses the subject of rest. Matthew 11:28-30 says:
“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
So why didn’t Jesus just remove the yoke? Why didn’t He just take the burden Himself? Yes, He promises rest in these verses, but here we also see that we’re given a yoke to share with Him. And why else would we be given a yoke unless Jesus intended to partner with us in serving the Father in whatever He has next for our lives?
And even at His birth, Jesus arrives prepared by rest. A star, a stable, a Baby’s cry. His rest has prepared Him to be your Savior.
Whatever opportunities God provides for you to rest in this busy season of Advent – shopping, cooking, gathering with friends and family – take full advantage of them! Allow Him to pour into those weary spaces through the Word and through worship and to replenish mind, soul, and body. Rest is a gift – both to restore and to prepare. You, child of God, are His Light-bearer in a dark world. Receive the gift of rest, and go into the world fully equipped by the Father to do His good bidding.
