A day of rest
Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. Hebrews 4:1
Have you ever had a problem getting rest? Maybe you couldn’t sleep or maybe you just couldn’t relax? Our bodies were designed to be re-energized through rest and relaxation. That is why God gave us the gift of a day off. He established the 7th day of the week for a day of rest. This was not a harsh law to be obeyed or there would be consequences, it was a gift that God gave to people after all the work of the week was done.
Yes, there are consequences if you do not receive the gift of rest. This passage actually says you should be afraid if you do not enter His gift of rest. For sure it is an act of disobedience, but there is so much more to it. It is a law of how you were created not a law to control your activity. God knew that our bodies would need down time to restore strength and mental energy, so He gave people an entire day to do that. It was as if God was saying “you have my permission to take a day off and not push yourself beyond the limits you were created with.” God wants what is best for us and He knows that the desire inside of a person for success would drive them to an unhealthy level of living, both physically and mentally.
Maybe you are thinking “that sounds great, but I don’t even know what a day of rest should look like.” Because God called it a day of rest, many perceive it as a day of doing nothing. However, this is just not the case. It is a day of separation. Separating yourself from the things that have consumed you for the entire week and putting your focus on your relationship with God and your family. God doesn’t intend for you to sit in a dark quiet room for 8 hours doing nothing, although if that’s what charges you, have at it. God’s intention was for you to have an entire day of a different focus. Step away from business and your normal routine, step away from your cell phone and let you email fill up for a day. In this way, you not only give your body a day of rest, your mind and spirit will rest too.
Today I want to encourage you if you don’t already have one day of the week designated to rest, purposefully schedule one each week. It doesn’t have to be Saturday or Sunday, just a day that you can block off to spend special time with God and family. If your work schedules you for the weekend, just make Monday your day of rest. Wherever works best for you and your family. The important thing is to have that day set aside, not having a specific day to do it. I promise you it will make a difference in your life. You will have more strength, energy and joy for the rest of the week when you honor God with following the pattern He established you to live by. Enter into His rest, it is the healthy way to live.
Today’s scripture reading: Hebrews 4:1-10
The Daily Dose 