When do you rest?
"I rest when I'm tired."
"I rest when the work is done."
"I rest when I feel like it."
"I rest on my time or schedule."
"I never really have enough time to rest."
Exodus 16: Manna from Heaven
Exodus 16:21-26, NIV
'Each morning, everyone gathered as much as they needed, and when the sun grew hot, it melted away. On the sixth day, they gathered twice as much—two omers for each person—and the leaders of the community came and reported this to Moses. He said to them, "This is what the Lord commanded: 'Tomorrow is to be a day of sabbath rest, a holy sabbath to the Lord. So bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil. Save whatever is left and keep it until morning.'" So they saved it until morning, as Moses commanded, and it did not stink or get maggots in it. "Eat it today," Moses said, "because today is a sabbath to the Lord. You will not find any of it on the ground today. Six days you are to gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will not be any."
Along with being the ultimate sacrifice for our sins, one of the purposes
of Jesus becoming human was to set the example for how to live a Godly life, including how to rest.
Mark 1:35, NIV
'Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.'
Mark 6:30-31, NIV
'The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest." '
Deuteronomy 32:35, KJV "To me belongeth vengeance…."
'To me, belongeth vengeance, and recompence; Their foot shall slide in due time: For the day of their calamity is at hand, And the things that shall come upon them make haste.'
Psalm 127:1-2, NIV
'Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain. In vain, you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat— for he grants sleep to those he loves.'
Why are we going to bed earlier?
So we can get up earlier.
Why are we getting up earlier?
So we can give ourselves the opportunity to rest in God.
Why are we resting in God?
So we can better serve Him.
Hebrews 4:9-10, NIV
'There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his.'
Jesus is our rest and who we worship, obey, and commit to.
Rest intentionally this week, physically, mentally, and spiritually.
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