Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation. Genesis 2:1-3
Anxiety and 2020 were like two sides of the same coin. One minute you were coping like a boss and the next you couldn’t concentrate because your kids are tapping on everything with chopsticks. There were so many afternoons when I would have loved a nap… and I actually did take quite a few.
But exhausted and over it, frustrated and bored longing for a nap isn’t how I picture God on the seventh day. After all, Isaiah 40:28 says “Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.”
So if God wasn’t tired why didn’t he just keep on going? Well… maybe God knew that we needed to rest our hearts fully in HIM once a week. Before the fall we were constantly immersed in God’s presence. We were created for that life. And in the above verses from Genesis God has given us this instruction: yes we must work hard, but we also need to restore our souls in Him.
Mark 2:27-28 says, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.” This clearly points to the idea that God rested after creation to establish what He wanted US to do.
So was God napping in Genesis 2? No. Not likely. He was finding rest in the expression of Himself as Creator. Likewise, true rest is stopping our busy lives, reflecting on God’s goodness to us and resting in the expression of who we are in God.
If you are struggling, perhaps you need to take time to rest in God. We were made for His presence! Below are a few practical ways to rest in Him. Please comment with more suggestions for us! We would love to know how you choose to rest in God.
- Talk to a friend about your faith and encourage each other.
- Read the Bible and find verses that comfort you.
- Listen to a podcast, sermon or VeggieTales that makes you remember why you love God.
- Be grateful for God’s gifts in your life.
- Sing songs that worship God.
- Go out in nature and enjoy the things He has made.
- Sniff a kitty that has been laying in the sunshine (best smell God created).
- Tell stories of God’s faithfulness in your family.
Grow Anyway 
Thanks for this encouraging message Liz! Lord, help me to rest in You! 🙌
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Hello,
I have had this topic on my mind for a couple weeks now, since hearing some new information, and I have a question about “the seventh day”. There are some religions that say the seventh day is Saturday, and that other religions have changed it to Sunday, and by doing so, they have led their congregation astray by not keeping the seventh day holy as commanded by God in the fourth commandment.
Do we go to church on Sunday because of the Sabbath as the title of the blog post suggests? If so, why was the Sabbath changed to the first day of the week? Or is the Sabbath still observed on Saturday, the seventh day of the week, and church on Sunday is just another day of worship?
I hope this is the right place for this question. I looked around the Journey App and website, but didn’t see anything other than The “I am new” section!
Thank you for this post! It has really changed how I look on the Sabbath being, not just a day of rest, but as a day of rest IN the Lord.
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Thanks for the kind words. Resting in God is key and so important to keeping our souls healthy. Now, let me give you some information on your question!! When many Christians were converted Jews, their holy day was Saturday. However, because the Resurrection and the beginning of Creation had both occurred on the first day of the week (Sunday), the church soon observed that day instead. (More Gentiles were becoming Christians as well, which contributed to a desire to shake off Jewish customs.) By the end of the first century, Sunday worship was the norm. We can assume the change caused some friction, for in Colossians 2:16 Paul admonishes, “Therefore do no let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day.” It’s important to note that the Sabbath was not simply moved; Christians altered the observance as well as the day. Hallmarks of the early Christian “Lord’s day” celebration, according to Justin Martyr (ca. 100-ca. 165), included readings from Scripture (particularly the Gospels), a sermon, communal prayer, and Communion—very different from Jewish Sabbath observance. Does that help?!
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That helps SO much! I can look at all kinds of conflicting things on the internet, so I thought I’d ask someone from my church and you didn’t disappoint 🙂
Thank you so much for your time, I really appreciate you!
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I always have songs I grew up with in my head and heart. I never know when they escape thru my mouth. LOL Lord, Let me rest in you daily. Amen
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