Real Rest

On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when he rested from all his work of creation. Genesis 2:2-3

Found it – Your lost hour from March! Do you feel better with a whole extra hour of sleep? Are you really more rested? Do you really have more energy? What did you do with the extra hour you were given? Is it really a gift if it comes at the midnight hour while you are sleeping? Most likely you didn’t gain a lot from that hour.

ulu Tours, a Hong Kong tour company launched a five-hour, 47-mile ride to nowhere. Actually, the tour had a destination: sleep. The company realized the soothing rhythm of the road caused people to fall asleep. Kenneth Kong shared that “When we were brainstorming new tours, I saw a social media post from my friend saying that he was stressed out by his work, he couldn’t sleep at night. But when he was traveling on the bus, he was able to sleep well. His post inspired us to create this tour that lets passengers just sleep on the bus.” The first tour was sold out!

The United States is among the world leaders in reduced productivity and increased health issues from lack of sleep. According to Rand Corporation, the US loses the equivalent of 1.2 million working days per year from people not getting enough sleep. In addition, “The US loses approximately $411 billion a year, or 2.28% of its GDP.”

God’s creation in Genesis included the special gift of rest. He didn’t create a day off but a time of rest and renewal.  It should be a time to slow down and enjoy His creation; a time to step aside and enjoy His presence.  On the seventh day, God set in motion a mini-sabbatical for us to be renewed and restored. The world gives us an hour and then takes it back. God’s life-giving Sabbath is so important that it was included as part of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20). However, when the Sabbath became bogged down in the swamp of legalism, Jesus reminded everyone, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath!” (Mark 2:27-28 NLT)

Countless times throughout scripture, God’s people were condemned for their failure to observe the Sabbath. Condemned, not for keeping rules or regulations, but failure to keep God at the center of the Sabbath and to treat it as holy.

Eugene Peterson regularly shared with his congregation the importance of the Sabbath and the impact that it has on the culture around us. “The great reality we are involved in as people and pastor is God. Most of the people around us don’t know that, and couldn’t care less. One of the ways God has provided for us to stay aware of and responsive to him as the determining and centering reality of our lives in a world that doesn’t care about this is by sabbath-keeping. At regular intervals we all need to quit our work and contemplate his, quit talking to each other and listen to him. God knows we need this and has given us a means in sabbath—a day for praying and playing, simply enjoying what he is.”

Religion tried to legalize the Sabbath through rituals and requirements.   Governments have tried to legalize the Sabbath through Blue Laws and restrictions. Culture tried to dismiss the Sabbath as irrelevant. Technology tried to drown out the Sabbath with busyness and noise.

“A day of rest. A day to humble me with the reminder of my limitations. A day to slow my pace and cease my drive to produce. A day to find my identity outside of what I accomplish. A day to find enjoyment not in what I use, but simply in being myself with God, his creation, and his people, especially my family.”—Bill Gaultiere

God tried to give us the Sabbath as a gift of life and renewal. What will you do with this life-giving gift?

God is great,