God rested. You probably already knew that: it appears very early in the Bible. After Genesis 1 depicts God creating everything in six days, Genesis 2 tells us He “rested on the seventh day from all His work that He had done” (Gen. 2:2). Yet, knowing that God rested is one thing. Appreciating His rest is something else entirely.
Because God didn’t need to rest. We do. We try to ward it off with blaring music or copious amounts of coffee, but sooner or later – when we just can’t keep our eyes open any longer – we have to stop. Not God. “The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth” doesn’t need anything, the Apostle Paul once explained, “since He himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything” (Acts 17:24-25).
Do you realize what that means? If God didn’t need to rest, then He chose to. He chose to stop, settle in, and enjoy His very good creation. By doing so, God “blessed the seventh day and made it holy” (Gen. 2:3). His choice to rest made that day special and filled it with His good presence, a wonderful gift to all around. That is our God…but then there’s us.
We do need rest, but we choose not to. We cram our days with events and our hours with activities. If we’re forced to stop for a weekend, holiday, or use-it-or-lose-it time off, we still don’t rest. We have to take this call or reply to this email. We plan vacations that require lengthy travel and expensive activities – then we jam-pack each day to get our time and money’s worth. We need rest, but we just can’t seem to stop ourselves from running around. We really are “harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (Matt. 9:36). That’s how Jesus sees us…and He would like to help.
You see, God’s rest wasn’t just for Himself. He generously offers to share it with us – but we have to want it, obediently striving to enter His rest (cf. Heb. 3:7-4:13). That is why He sent Jesus: to be that good shepherd we so desperately need (cf. John 10:11). If we will follow Him, He will make us lie down in green pastures, lead us beside still waters, and restore our souls (cf. Ps. 23:1-3). Then learning from Him how to live each day, we will find true rest (cf. Matt. 11:28-30).
Are you tired? Learn from Jesus how to rest, and you will be restored. This is your invitation to find Rest and Restoration.