We live in a crazy world. One where the pace of life and its demands are front and center. Often the pace is reckless as healthcare professionals across the globe continuously share that the current pace of life borders the unsustainable leaving many with both mental and physical health issues. Could it be that the Lord’s concept of rest, which so many deem antiquated or marginalized, has been right all along? There’s no denying we need it - so what exactly is it?

1. Rest is a reorientation to reverence. (Deuteronomy 5:14,15)
   Sabbath is supposed to be about God - not us. Most of our issues stem from pride consuming our minds to think that we are self-sufficient and capable of meeting life’s demands on our own. Deep down we all know this is folly. Resting God’s way reminds us that we are stewards of the gifts He alone has given. We see that we truly depend upon Him and intentionally set aside time to honor the Lord as the giver of gifts. In a real way, rest is a right-sizing of ourselves.
2. Rest is emptying ourselves from effort. (Deuteronomy 5:14) 
   Taking a break from our efforts breaks down the illusion of our control. Don’t misunderstand - God expects us to work and maximize the gifts He has given us. We should put forth much effort to grow our gifts, but building an intentional pause from our efforts reminds us that God is in control - not us. We are called to reverence God for the giving of gifts, and we also need to recognize that God, not our efforts, is in control of them. Ceasing from work reminds ourselves that we ultimately rely on Him and not ourselves.
3. Rest is separation from stuff. (Deuteronomy 5:14)
   There will naturally be a separation from our daily rhythms if we pause from the marketplace of life. We separate ourselves from life’s “stuff” to reorient to the other Kingdom we represent. Rhythms can become ruts and the ruts can become so deep that we can’t see the horizon. The daily grind serves as a shovel that just keeps digging the rut deeper. Resting God’s way reminds us that the stuff we will do after resting is to be a reflection of God’s majesty and His Kingdom’s will.
4. Rest is time spent together. (Deuteronomy 5:14) 
   God’s sabbath rest affected the entire community. He called the leaders to stop working and to ensure those under their care stopped their efforts as well. Sabbath was a holy calling intended to be communal. One reason the fellowship with believers is so vitally important, including on a day of rest, is that you are with others who reorient themselves to reverence God. The collective weight of a community taking time to rest together, when the majority of our time is spent in communities where this is not the case, adds collective strength to our reverence, our emptying, and our separation.

There are many who would dismiss rest as no longer required, antiquated, or simply not possible. However, what would happen in a believer’s life if we built in sabbaths that intentionally separated us from the grind of life? Would we not be stronger believers? Would we not be healthier? Would we possibly get a full night’s rest? All of these issues are common to the citizens of the kingdom to which we are strangers. As Christians, we are intended to be different. Maybe one place to take a serious look at the difference is how you will intentionally plan to rest the way God intends.

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