Even God Rests

Wednesday - September 15th

Scripture to Read Today: Genesis 2:1-4

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By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing;

so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.

Genesis 2:2

The Churchill War Rooms is one of London's oddest museums. It is the underground complex from which Prime Minister Winston Churchill, his ministers, and generals fought World War II. The Prime Minister's War Rooms are hidden beneath a five-foot-thick, steel-reinforced, concrete roof – a maze of modest offices, dormitories, and dining rooms for top cabinet officers and staff. Hundreds of individuals worked in them during WWII, from clerks to generals and clergy.

Today, the space is dominated by Churchill's memories.

His wartime leadership gets a full vetting through many exhibits. But one facet of Churchill's professional life receives only a brief mention at the end: his regular napping habit.

Churchill regarded his noon naps as necessary for mental clarity, energy, and spirit. After lunch, the Prime Minister would retire to his private bedroom, change into pajamas, and sleep for an hour or two. Then, unless German bombs fell, he would take a bath, change into clean clothing, and return to work. "It was one of Mr. Churchill's strict daily routine rules that he should not miss this rest," remembered his valet, Frank Sawyers.

A nap not only re-energized Churchill but also inspired his cabinet and officers. To sleep while bombs fell showed Churchill's faith in his staff and hope that the dark days would pass.

Rest is God-given. God, Himself, rests. Genesis 2:1-4 summarizes how God completed His work of creation and then paused to rest. He even declared the seventh day of the week as a day set apart for rest. God established a pattern - a healthy pattern for us all.

Research shows that few Americans get the proper sleep needed each night to be fully refreshed. Few of us actually take a day to rest and relax. Many work through their vacations and days off from work. We tend to be frazzled and drained, propping ourselves up daily with caffeine drinks.

Even God rests. As our Creator, He knows our needs better than we do. He says we should block out time for sleep and naps. We should take time to rest and rejuvenate. Maybe naps in your day, like Winston Churchill enjoyed, just won't work in your schedule. They work for very few people. But we all need to get proper rest and plan for even a day for it in our week.

God wired us for rest, and we need to prioritize it in the rhythm of our lives!