What? God rested? God? The God? The one Who "never sleeps nor slumbers" according to Psalm 121? Either Moses (the author of Genesis) lied about God resting or King David (the psalmist) didn't have a clue.
or did he?
How can both be true? Let me toss this thought out to you: I think God rested on the seventh day as an example for us to follow. He didn't sleep or slumber, but neither did He work. He simply sat back and enjoyed all that He had done that week. I can just see Him sitting on a beach chair in heaven, shades on, head back, soaking in the rays of the sun He had recently created. He hears some laughter, maybe a few birds twittering happily, and He sits up to look around. A big grin spreads across His face as He watches His creation having fun enjoying having been created. He elbows Jesus, sitting there to the right of Him, and says, "Son, check this out - the kids are playing tag - Adam and Eve and the sparrows." The Holy Spirit comes up behind them, resting His right elbow on Jesus' right shoulder and His left on the Father's left shoulder. "Pretty great, isn't it?" He says. "We done good. I'd say. Yep. We done good."
When was the last time you took a day off? I mean really took a day off. You didn't run errands or finish laundry or worry about work. You took an entire day, to rest and enjoy the fruits of your labor. I have long thought that our society puts too much value on being busy. It's a mark of importance, a mark of value. We seem to pride ourselves on saying, "life is just so crazy!" If you have time to spare, there's something wrong with you. We try to cram more into every minute of the day with more than it's possible for anyone to accomplish. How many times have you heard someone say (or you've said it yourself), "there's not enough time in the day!" Essentially, we tell God that He didn't know what He was doing when He made a day twenty-four hours. Obviously, if I can't get everything done that I want to get done in a day, it's not my fault, it's God's.
We, like one of Cinderella's step sisters, try to stuff our foot into a tiny glass slipper. Most of the time it doesn't work. We don't get everything done in a day that we'd intended when we'd woken up that morning. We're disappointed and frustrated. Of course, every once in awhile, it all works. We cram our foot into that glass slipper and somehow get it all in there. We get it all done, and we're so proud, so relieved; but, man, are our feet sore! We're exhausted, and we take it out on those we love the most, those to whom we are the closest, those with whom we can relax and truly be ourselves.
I've read articles in magazines about families who recognize that this lifestyle is counter-productive. They move out of the city and slow their lives down. I've read articles and heard of books written about the long-term effects this lifestyle has on an individual and on society.
The information is out there, but I don't see people changing. We wouldn't dare let a day slip through our fingers in which we did nothing productive. Guilt would berate us. "I should've . . . Why didn't I . . . I can't believe I just wasted an entire day. . . " What would people think of us? What would we think of ourself? Afterall, our worth is not in who we are, it's in what we can produce - whether that be money or perfect children or countless friends. Our worth is in what people think of us, not in what God thinks of us.
So how do you change the way an entire society thinks and lives?
One person at a time. One family at a time. Just imagine how it might change your life if you made a decision to rest on the seventh day and enjoy the fruits of your labor. You might just find yourself content. You might find that you really are still in love with your spouse. You might even find some joy deep within your heart that you'd long ago forgotten.
or did he?
How can both be true? Let me toss this thought out to you: I think God rested on the seventh day as an example for us to follow. He didn't sleep or slumber, but neither did He work. He simply sat back and enjoyed all that He had done that week. I can just see Him sitting on a beach chair in heaven, shades on, head back, soaking in the rays of the sun He had recently created. He hears some laughter, maybe a few birds twittering happily, and He sits up to look around. A big grin spreads across His face as He watches His creation having fun enjoying having been created. He elbows Jesus, sitting there to the right of Him, and says, "Son, check this out - the kids are playing tag - Adam and Eve and the sparrows." The Holy Spirit comes up behind them, resting His right elbow on Jesus' right shoulder and His left on the Father's left shoulder. "Pretty great, isn't it?" He says. "We done good. I'd say. Yep. We done good."
When was the last time you took a day off? I mean really took a day off. You didn't run errands or finish laundry or worry about work. You took an entire day, to rest and enjoy the fruits of your labor. I have long thought that our society puts too much value on being busy. It's a mark of importance, a mark of value. We seem to pride ourselves on saying, "life is just so crazy!" If you have time to spare, there's something wrong with you. We try to cram more into every minute of the day with more than it's possible for anyone to accomplish. How many times have you heard someone say (or you've said it yourself), "there's not enough time in the day!" Essentially, we tell God that He didn't know what He was doing when He made a day twenty-four hours. Obviously, if I can't get everything done that I want to get done in a day, it's not my fault, it's God's.
We, like one of Cinderella's step sisters, try to stuff our foot into a tiny glass slipper. Most of the time it doesn't work. We don't get everything done in a day that we'd intended when we'd woken up that morning. We're disappointed and frustrated. Of course, every once in awhile, it all works. We cram our foot into that glass slipper and somehow get it all in there. We get it all done, and we're so proud, so relieved; but, man, are our feet sore! We're exhausted, and we take it out on those we love the most, those to whom we are the closest, those with whom we can relax and truly be ourselves.
I've read articles in magazines about families who recognize that this lifestyle is counter-productive. They move out of the city and slow their lives down. I've read articles and heard of books written about the long-term effects this lifestyle has on an individual and on society.
The information is out there, but I don't see people changing. We wouldn't dare let a day slip through our fingers in which we did nothing productive. Guilt would berate us. "I should've . . . Why didn't I . . . I can't believe I just wasted an entire day. . . " What would people think of us? What would we think of ourself? Afterall, our worth is not in who we are, it's in what we can produce - whether that be money or perfect children or countless friends. Our worth is in what people think of us, not in what God thinks of us.
So how do you change the way an entire society thinks and lives?
One person at a time. One family at a time. Just imagine how it might change your life if you made a decision to rest on the seventh day and enjoy the fruits of your labor. You might just find yourself content. You might find that you really are still in love with your spouse. You might even find some joy deep within your heart that you'd long ago forgotten.
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