“So the creation of the heavens and the earth and everything in them was completed. On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when he rested from all his work of creation.” Genesis 2:1-3
Unfortunately there are people who have no trouble resting. In fact they rest every chance they get whether they need to or not. This devotion is not for them although if you are one of them this may be for you. God resting on the seventh day set a pattern for us to follow. Our bodies are not equipped to go non-stop seven days a week for very long. The Lord knew this when He created us. Hard work is commendable and it is rewarded by our Lord to rest one day out of seven.
There are times when this is not always possible. No one understands this better than me working in retail for forty-five years. I am sure you can place yourself in your line of work of certain times and seasons where mandatory overtime is required, but rest assure (no pun intended) the Lord knows about it. The important thing is to make time when appropriate to rest and spend some quiet moments with the Lord.
It is not only those in the workforce who need to follow this pattern of rest that the Lord has given us, but to all those who are in volunteer work and especially those who are raising children and maintaining a home. The Lord values our lives in this world and desires to see us joyful and effective in our responsibilities and that requires resting our bodies and filling our souls with His presence. Christians have no good excuse for not following God’s pattern of rest for our lives. God will help us find the rest we need if we make a serious attempt to find it and ask Him for help in the process.
