A LONG SABBATH

I have a wise friend who told me once when I was recovering from knee surgery, “You are taking a really long sabbath. When it was me, I would sit and just enjoy every bird I saw, every smell I smelled, every sound of nature, all the cuteness of Sadie. I don’t know, I just rested.”

“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.” Gen. 2:1-3 NLT

Have you ever thought about this? I mean did God need to rest after creating the world? He has no physical body. Does God get tired? I doubt it. I know He used this for a example for us to follow but what does it really mean when it says God rested?

In Psalm 132:8 The psalmist says, “Arise O Lord, and enter your resting place, along with the Ark, symbol of your power.”

And again in verse 14, God is speaking, “This is my resting place forever,” He said. I will live here, for this is the home I desired.”

This temple was not a place for God to come and sleep or relax but a dwelling place for God. It was the place that His Glory dwelled among men. So I think we could look at Genesis 2 the same way. After He created, God came to dwell on earth, He presided there. A garden became His place of rest, or abiding place. And He had sweet fellowship with man. Makes perfect sense.

Jesus says “Come to me all you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let Me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear and the burden I give you is light.” Math. 11:28

If we think about this in the light of abiding in Him, it doesn’t mean we can go to Him and He will give us sleep, or relaxation, or rest from our labors. It means if we abide in Him, we will find a safe place to dwell. A place where we can be free from worry, because He is in the traces with us. He is pulling the load.

When He says “the burden I give you is light”, it does not mean I will not have troubles or tribulations or sorrows or grief. It means He is the One carrying the load. He is the One who works out my troubles. He is the One who carries me through the tribulations He allows into my life. I don’t need to worry and fret because He is the One who is at work in my life.

Nothing comes to me that He does not allow. And if He allows it, it is for my good. He may be working for my souls good, not my bodies good. He works all things for our good, whether our earthly good or our Heavenly good.

When I rest in Him, when I abide in Him, I have sweet fellowship with Him. IF I go to the garden, and IF I don’t hide from him, and IF I am not too busy trying to work things out on my own, He will walk with me and talk with me.

I can sit back, relax and enjoy every bird song.

I can breath in every wonderful woodsy scent.

I can feel every cool breeze on my face.

I can let the worry go, the exasperation, the impatience, the grumbling.

I can soak in every breath of God, every nugget learned, every touch of His hand.

I can relish every brush of His fingers on my cheeks, every whispered word, every smile on His lips.

I can sit in His presence and know Him.

I can abide in Him.

Excuse me, I think I might just go take a long sabbath.

“Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

This I declare about the Lord:

He alone is my refuge, my place of safety. He is my God and I trust Him.” Psalm 91:1-2