Provision of Rest
While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease. Genesis 8:22
Do you ever look at God’s creation and stand amazed? Every landscape and animal tells of God’s creativity and goodness. The cycle of the seasons points to the beauty of our Heavenly Father. He holds everything in such a delicate balance.
God has created a balance in creation and designed us to live in balance as well. There is a time to rest and a time to work. There are times to speak up and other times to remain silent. Our lives are one big balancing act. However, there are times that our balance is off regarding the busyness of our lives.
I will be the first to admit that taking a day off is incredibly hard for me. My list of to-dos is never-ending, which makes taking a break from them seem irresponsible. But rest times are just as important as getting things crossed off our lists.
During Bible times, it was a law for the Jews to observe the Sabbath by resting. They were forbidden to do anything that would be perceived as work. They got in a legalistic ditch about what they could and couldn’t do, but I feel that our current society has gone in a ditch on the other side. A full calendar is almost looked at as a badge of honor.
It has been scientifically proven that those who get 7-8 hours of sleep each night and allow themselves to take days off live long and happy lives. They have discovered the balance we were created to live in.
I want to challenge us to find the balance God proposed for us to have by taking days and even moments to rest (scrolling through social media doesn’t count). Take time throughout each day to go for a walk, take a nap, or read a book. Then take one day per week to rest your mind and body and to do something to connect with friends or family. Next would be to take a week off work to go on a vacation or on a mission trip.
The bottom line is that if God has provided the earth with times and seasons, we need to reflect that in our lives. Step into a life of balance and rest in Him.
Dear Lord, thank you for creating seasons in the world. Help me find balance in my life as well, so that I can enjoy the life you have provided for me. Amen.