Serious Rest

God takes rest very seriously. When a Being powerful enough to create and shape the universe decides to rest on the 7th day, you know He is trying to say something. God has shaped history and created man... does the guy really even need rest? Is someone that ridiculously powerful and capable need to take a breather? Probably not. But if He thought high enough of it to make Himself an example to humanity, what does that say about its importance? Indeed, the most common criticism Jesus received during His ministry on earth (besides claiming He was God, but that went surprisingly unnoticed most of the time) was that he worked and/or performed miracles on the Sabbath.

Just last night at Damascus Road, Pastor Mike Werkheiser delved into Christ's healing of the paralytic in Bethesda (John 5). Jesus told a man whom we assume was mostly or completely paralyzed to take up his bed beside the pool and walk. What did the Monday morning quarterbacks and bloggers respond with? "How dare you heal this man on the Sabbath!?!?" But Jesus came to give rest on the Sabbath.

If you read John 5, it is easy to see how important rest is and how it has been passed down from creation to biblical times. Even now, the very best advertisements seek to infuse the viewer with a sense of rest and relaxation resulting from their product. But what is considerably more difficult to see is how our perception of rest is jacked up. Let me explain.

Jesus said in John 5: 17 that "My Father is working until now, and I am working." Jesus find no fault if His work gives rest on the Sabbath. That's pretty much God's intent in stressing our focus on Him during the Sabbath. Somehow this (along with a variety of other factors too many in number to list here) has given rise the the "Protestant work ethic" that, particularly Americans, take so much pride in. Even more so, us guys take great pride in our work. It is who we are. We generate our value (to our family as well as society) directly from our work. This is partly why divorce rates are rising, fathers are not there to give their children a positive example of masculinity, and more wives feel neglected and replaced by their husbands' career. Workaholism in the name of the American Dream is destroying the American Dream.

Ironic, isn't it?

In Leviticus chapter 25, God commands His people to not sow their fields every seventh year. The purpose, He says, it to give the land a rest. In response to His people's concern for how they will eat during that year, he reassures them by promising that their sixth year's crop will yield three years worth of food: 1 year to live on, 1 year to plant on the 8th year, and 1 year to live on while the crop is growing in the eighth year. They are to trust God and have faith that He will provide for them as they obey His command. I think that the root of why we don't rest is because we do not have faith that God will provide as we rest from our work. How does that color our understanding? Doesn't feel good does it?

The concept of a "Sabbatical" is also new to me. Although thoroughly biblical, taking a whole year off every 6 years is something that just goes against my grain. The pastor of my church, Tom Ricks, is faithfully attempting to take on for about 4 months thus year. Taking a full year off is very difficult, and I'm not privy as to why the figure of 4 months was decided on so I will refrain from judging for or against that decision. I know that I am very happy for him and excited to see how the fruits of his faithfulness will bless the church he leads upon his return. I know, however, that my view of this is not necessarily as widely shared by the body. Not everyone has a job where they can take 4 months or a year off and still be paid, and this can lead to an envious attitude. That said, I further admire Pastor Tom's and the Green Tree Staff's courage to live out the Word of God in the face of possible dissent and disapproval.

I write all this, not because I see people working their butts off all around me while I sit and revel in my piety. I write this because I am a top offender. Over spring break, I probably took one day to really rest and be still with God. The rest of the time I, sometimes frantically, tried to keep up and use the time to get ahead. By God's mercy I feel rested and recharged in spite of this, and I really feel like God spoke some refreshment into my life and my perspective on my time here at Covenant. I am always working for God's love... that or my own self-justification. But God doesn't care about any of it. It means nothing to him, especially in comparison to the health and fervency of my heart.

Brothers, this is a slippery slope. We men often take on this messiah complex and feel like we have to be everything to everyone. The cool thing is, we don't have to. That's God's job. And trying to do God's job (much less do it well) is just insane. Let go. Breathe. Pray. Trust. Spend time with God and recharge however He has designed you to do so. If that is playing your guitar, go lay down a few riffs. If that means praying, get on your knees and pray your heart out. If you find peace and solace in reading the Word of God, I highly recommend Romans. If that means walking 2 miles into a forest and sitting against a tree in pure, blissful silence, by all means... go sit.