#9: A Day of Rest

Genesis 2:1-3

 By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.

Comments

It is hard to imagine that God was so exhausted from the act of creation that it was necessary to take a day off. In fact, Genesis says nothing about that; it simply says God rested from his work and blessed the day by doing so.

Each day of creation ended with a summary: “and God saw that it was good.” The sixth day’s summary went a bit further: “and God saw that it was very good.” Finally, the seventh day allowed time for God to consider and appreciate all that had been done in creation.

The pattern for humans was a bit different. Created on the sixth day, we were given the job of taking care of the created world. Then we were given a day off to get ready for our new responsibilities. What an example of God’s love and care!

Reflections

Have you ever had a boss who told you to be sure to take time off in order to avoid burnout? Do you tend to work harder for bosses who treat you well than for those who are demanding and inconsiderate?

The Sabbath was given to prepare for work, not to recover from it. Do you find yourself in a pattern of working until you are exhausted and never quite catching up? Do you need to discover a new rhythm for your life?

The Sabbath was also to be a day of sacred assembly as God’s people gathered together to remember and celebrate what God had done. Do you express your love for God by including such awareness and thanksgiving within your weekly schedule?

Prayer

Blessed are you, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who gives us every week a day to rest and remember.