Our Model for Rest

Friday - September 17th

Scripture to Read Today: Hebrews 4:1-10

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There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his.

Hebrews 4:9-10

Rest occurs after work for human beings because our bodies, minds, and emotions require it. If we keep working and working and working without taking breaks, our bodies will eventually break. Our mental and emotional state will leave us useless. Therefore, rest is vital for recharging our batteries in preparation for further effort.

Rest has a distinct meaning when it comes to God. God is revealed in Scripture to be all-powerful. Nothing in the Bible argues that God needs to slumber in order to re-energize. It was not out of exhaustion that God chose to rest on the seventh day of creation.

So, why did God take a break? Genesis 2:1-3 does not provide a specific response to this topic. It does, however, provide a few hints. Rest appears to be an essential aspect of God's creative process (2:2). Furthermore, God's rest is linked to his act of blessing and sanctification on the seventh day (2:3). God didn't just instruct us to take a break from our labor (Exod 20:8-11). He had previously set an example of relaxation for us. God indicated that he set the seventh day apart from the other days by treating it differently, establishing it as a day of rest rather than labor.

God took a break to emphasize the significance of the seventh day. God took a break to instruct us. God took a break for our benefit, modeling behavior that He would later recommend in Scripture (see Exodus 20:8-11). God took a break so that we could appreciate the value of rest in our own lives. God took a break so that we may learn from him. He is our model for rest.

God modeled rest for us, so we should follow His example and find space to rest in our week.