R&R – Resting and Relaxing
We are given instructions in the scriptures of opportunities to rest and relax, more than, the Sabbath, one day in seven. Some time ago, I did a count of all the Jewish festivals that required a day, a week, or a year of resting. The Feast days, sabbatical year, and the Jubilee year. It worked out that the nation of Israel, had about the same number of days off every year, as we Americans do here; counting weekends, vacations, and religious and national holidays. Coincidence? I do not believe so.
In Mark 6:31-32, Jesus gives us some healthy advice,
“And He said to them,
“Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while.”
(For there were many people coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.) They went away in the boat to a secluded place by themselves.”
In Matthew 8:24, Jesus got in a nap during a storm.
“And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being covered with the waves; but Jesus Himself was asleep.”
It’s important to rest once in a while, which has nothing to do with a sabbath rest. Even obeying the rule of six and one, life can put a lot of pressure on you. Again, in Genesis 2:3 we read, “because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.” So, working at times requires rest and relaxation.
Resting also means to have resting on every side of you, or to have calamity and discord cease, as in Solomon’s case in 1 Kings 5:4,
“But now the Lord my God has given me rest on every side; there is neither adversary nor misfortune.”
God wants to give us rest from the difficult labors of life, as He promised for the nation of Israel in Isaiah 14:3,
“And it will be in the day when the Lord gives you rest from your pain and turmoil and harsh service in which you have been enslaved…”
Once we have finished a very large or precarious task, we can become very mentally and physically weary. We see this happen to Elijah after he confronts Ahab and Jezebel in 1 Kings 19:2-8,
“Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So may the gods do to me and even more, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.” And he was afraid and arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree; and he requested for himself that he might die, and said, “It is enough; now, Yahweh, take my life, for I am not better than my fathers.” He lay down and slept under a juniper tree; and behold, there was an angel touching him, and he said to him, “Arise, eat.” Then he looked and behold, there was at his head a bread cake baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank and lay down again. The angel of Yahweh came again a second time and touched him and said, “Arise, eat, because the journey is too great for you.” So he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mountain of God.”
Here is another promise of restoration after exertion in Isaiah 40:29-31,
“He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power. Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly, yet those who wait for Yahweh will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.”
Finally, Jesus gives us His promise of rest in Matthew 11:28-30,
“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, 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.”
Our prayer for today,
Father, there are times in my life that I certainly need rest. I also need rest from the labors of life. Father, instruct me and bless me with this necessary rest, I pray, in Jesus’ name, amen.
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