Today, through the rest of the year, the daily Bible Journal will be taking a “free write” structure, where the writer is free to write about whatever biblical verse or topic they feel called to. Personally, one topic this Christmas season that has been on my mind and heart and in our prayers has been rest. In this particularly hectic season, it feels as if everything on our schedules is never-ending. This can be even further exacerbated these days by how technologically connected and constantly stimulated we are with news and entertainment. It feels as though we can never find time to rest, and when we do, it never feels sufficiently recharging. Plus there’s the guilt of not being more productive or studious when the opportunity to rest does arise.
If this sounds familiar to you right now, you might be like me: in need of a reminder of where rest comes from. Way back in Genesis 2, after bringing all of creation into being, God set the precedent that rest was holy and good by spending day 7 resting. Jesus says in Matthew 11:28: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Even later in Matthew, in chapter 26, Jesus needs to be alone in peace and quiet to connect with God in prayer. God makes it evident that in our toil and stress, it is good and necessary to recuperate with quiet downtime. In Psalm 23: “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.”
However, the issue lies in who we give our downtime to. Do you devote your silent moments to the television or your phone, or to God? Not that these things are inherently bad, or that you should never enjoy these luxuries. But in moments of rest, as in all things, we need God to come first. Rest is an opportunity to engage in intimate conversation with God: to come to Him, receive and ponder His blessings, and to be renewed in our spirit. In all the noise and distraction of life, it can be easiest to hear God’s voice in your heart when at peace in silence and relaxation. Beyond all, rest is a spiritual gift from God, a chance to simply be close to the Lord.
In a more simple viewpoint, our imperfect earthly bodies are just designed to rest. We need moments to recharge and engage in prayerful stillness; obviously not a coincidence, but perhaps more of a subtle affirmation from the Lord. We should take our moments of respite first as moments of prayerful listening to God speaking to our hearts before tending to our own physical wants for relaxation. So work hard, engaging in the work the Lord has laid out for you when you should. But when it is time to kick back, be sure to use it as time with God foremost, knowing it is needed and wonderful. Enjoy your moments of rest this Christmas season, and know that giving those moments of rest to others can be a powerful gift; a simple act like taking care of the evening’s chores for your spouse or watching a friend’s child for a while can offer them meaningful time to quietly visit with God, making all the difference. This Christmas season, engage the Lord in thanks and praise when you can kick back and relax, for from God comes rest, as does all things good.