Designed to Rest
While the Bible promotes working hard, it also tells us to take the time to rest. Rest is defined as, “Freedom from work or activity (Bakers encyclopedia of the Bible).” There is a biblical balance between working hard and taking time to rest (Mark 6:31). We were designed by God to serve Him in our work and for resting in Him and His promises. As believers, we need to trust Him in giving us to strength to do our work well and trust Him to provide for us in our times of rest.
Taking Time To Be With The Lord and People.
It`s important to remember that the Bible does not promote “workaholism.” Your schedule could be full of good things having to do with ministry and work, but your schedule shouldn’t control your life. Your schedule could very easily become an idol in and of itself. Ask yourself the question, “Do you trust the Lord to provide or do you trust your work schedule?” We should always trust the Lord and take the time to be with Him by spending time in His Word.
Spending time with the people that the Lord has placed in your life is important as well. God`s heart is for all people and we know that from studying His word. As believers, we should care about what He cares about. He wants us to take care of each other and meet each other`s needs which means spending time with those we love (1 Corinthians 12:25-26). Getting to know someone and figuring out what they need oftentimes makes them feel appreciated and loved. We were made to have a relationship with God and to have relationships with people, so we should take the time to invest in those relationships.
How Can Believers Rest?
In Genesis 2:1-3, we see that God rested on the seventh day in the creation account. Why would God have to rest? God is omnipotent meaning that He is all-powerful. Therefore, God wasn’t tired, but He did it this way as a pattern for us (Exodus 20:8-11). God put into motion a principle of life. He gave us patterns to follow in order to protect us because He is good and wants what is best for us.
To be clear, the Bible does not advocate laziness, but it advocates taking some time to rest. Why is Jesus called the Lord of the Sabbath? In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus encounters a group of people called the Pharisees. The Pharisees criticized Jesus for breaking their rules or traditions by healing someone on the Sabbath, but Christ responded to them telling them that they didn’t know what the Sabbath is about, but Jesus knew because He was the one who brought the Sabbath into existence. Jesus was there at Creation (Genesis 1.26; John 1.3; Col. 1:16-17; Psalm 33.6; Genesis 1.2). The Sabbath principle`s original intent was to be a blessing to man, but the Pharisees turned it into an enslavement. Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made for Man, and not man for the Sabbath.” Mark 2:27. The Pharisees were legalistic and lost sight the intention of the Sabbath because they were so focused on rules and regulations. There is a general principle that the Creator has established in Genesis and it was established for our benefit.
“The Sabbath was made for Man and not man for the Sabbath.” Mark 2:27.
How Can Unbelievers Find Rest?
Jesus said, “Come to Me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me for I am gentle and lowly in heart and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29. We have all broken God`s law. Under the law, we are condemned, but God was not content to leave us without hope. God sent His only Son to take the punishment that we rightly deserve, so we can walk in fellowship with Him. Jesus offers people rest and peace with God through faith in Him and His finished work on the Cross (Romans 5.1). Jesus, died, was buried, and rose again so that we could be free to have a relationship with God. He asks that we trust in the work that He has done on our behalf. Anyone can find rest in Jesus` finished work on the cross as payment for a sin debt that we could never pay on our own.
John 3:16-18, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
Resting In His Promises
At Ethnos 360 Bible Institute, we desire to be a part of God`s plan to bring the Gospel to all people. The first step in training with Ethnos360 is two years of chronological Bible teaching. At EBI, we value having a firm foundation in understanding God`s Word and building solid relationships with those around us. After spending two years studying the Bible, you will see that you can rest in God`s Promises. Request your free information packet today!
