To Rest is Best

I had a great rest last night.  As one of our previous field leaders used to say, "sometimes the most 'spiritual' thing you can do is sleep." I can't say slept like a baby, but I slept well.

Work is great, much better than boredom. It is the great equalizer and often a cure for what ails you.  I can even sometimes give thanks for problems, because they are a challenge to solve and a chance to do some good, add value, gain exercise and and get stronger.  Work is not a curse, but can be an invitation to cooperate with God in creation.

Even in the case of God's work, it is also good to rest.

In a world that has gone almost berserk with work, and business, where is your rest?

On one side, if our 'work' was physical like it was a century or even decades ago, people would be a lot more sane and get more rest. But as much of our work is mental and 'electronic' these days, there are seemingly more stresses on the minds of the multitudes.

I see it everywhere in business and ministry, in America and Mongolia, the constant 'work' of texting, emailing, and talking makes a 16-hour 'work day'.   When was the last time you answered an email or text past 10pm, or before 6am?  I bet it was this year or this week.

Reading today in Hebrews 4, I saw again the importance of people, especially people who serve God, getting proper rest.  Work that is honored by God and honors God rests.

Good News:  We get to rest, if we're faithful.
Bad News: Failure to rest is working to fail.

Hebrews 4Good News Translation (GNT)

4 Now, God has offered us the promise that we may receive that rest he spoke about. Let us take care, then, that none of you will be found to have failed to receive that promised rest. 2 For we have heard the Good News, just as they did. They heard the message, but it did them no good, because when they heard it, they did not accept it with faith. 3 We who believe, then, do receive that rest which God promised. It is just as he said,

“I was angry and made a solemn promise:
    ‘They will never enter the land where I would have given them rest!’”
He said this even though his work had been finished from the time he created the world.

4 For somewhere in the Scriptures this is said about the seventh day: “God rested on the seventh day from all his work.” 5 This same matter is spoken of again: “They will never enter that land where I would have given them rest.” 6 Those who first heard the Good News did not receive that rest, because they did not believe. There are, then, others who are allowed to receive it. 7 This is shown by the fact that God sets another day, which is called “Today.” Many years later he spoke of it through David in the scripture already quoted:

“If you hear God's voice today,
    do not be stubborn.”