Is Your Rest Holy?
God did not design man to function without rest. Sometimes, we try to dodge it, but the human body cannot be duped. When we don't allow our bodies to rest, they eventually cave in and force us to pause, sometimes on a hospital bed. God Himself created the world in six days and took the seventh day off.
"And on the seventh day, God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made." (Genesis 2:2-3)
Under the Mosaic law, resting became a requirement for the Israelites. The fourth commandment required them to remember the Sabbath day and keep it Holy (Exodus 20:8). Like God, they were to work for six days and rest on the seventh. Anyone caught working on the seventh day would be punished by death (Exodus 35:2).
Back to creation—isn't it fascinating that the all-powerful God took a break? Notably, He didn't merely pause for a few hours and swing back swiftly on the grind. God took a full day off. We live in a very busy world where some of us cannot fathom sparing an entire day for rest. There's always so much to do with so little time. Besides, many of us wear our busyness as a badge of honor.
But consider this. If the omnipotent God needed to rest after creating the world, how much more do we mere humans need to pause? God did not need a break because he was exhausted. He did it to set a standard for us. Furthermore, He rested after creating the heavens and the earth. If He hadn't created the earth we walk, we wouldn't be here in the first place. This begs the question—what things are we "creating" that cannot afford us time to step back and rest? Whatever they are, they cannot be more intense than creating the world, can they?
God already delivered the most complex, intricate, fundamental, and perfect project that ever existed under the sun and incorporated rest while at it. Our work, projects, assignments, careers, and businesses stem from what God created. We, therefore, have no excuse not to embrace rest. We need to hold the right perspective of rest if we are to glorify God in our work.
Resting Shows Our Trust in God
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6).
Under the Mosaic law, God abhorred disregard for rest so much that the penalty for non-adherence was death. Working without taking time off reveals our lack of trust in God. Ultimately, He is our provider and the one who holds our lives together. In Him, we live, move, and have our being (Acts 17:28). Resting communicates our trust and reverence for Him.
God Sanctified Rest
God sanctified the seventh day, the day He rested from all His work. This means that our rest should not merely involve taking a break from our work. It has to be sanctified as well. Whenever we put down our tools and seek a break, we have to be conscious that we are transitioning to a sanctified moment. Because let's be honest: there is a flurry of things that seek to defile our rest. At no other time are we more prone to sin than when we are unwinding.
King David is a perfect example of unsanctified rest. We find him taking a break at the wrong time—when kings were meant to be stashed away in battle. That was probably his first undoing. As he lounges on his roof, he spots Bathsheba bathing, and instead of deflecting from the sight, his eyes linger long enough for him to hatch a wicked plan. He summons her, and despite being informed that she is the wife of one of his trusted soldiers, he commits adultery with her.
In quick succession, he murders Uriah, her husband, in an attempt to cover his sin. His choices during his rest period led him to commit grave sins. As we unplug from working and seek physical, spiritual, and emotional rejuvenation, we need to exercise caution. Our resting time could easily become the time we indulge in things that grieve the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30). Laying down our work should not have us disconnect from our call to holiness.
Everything We Do Should Glorify God
"Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." (1 Corinthians 10:31)
It's tempting to assume that it doesn't matter to God how we spend our free time. That we can engage in anything we enjoy as long as it helps us relax. Paul reminds us that we have been crucified with Christ and that we no longer live but Christ lives in us (Galatians 2:20). It is therefore important to remember that as we rest, Christ is still living in us. We are yoked alongside Him, so let's not drag him where He is uncomfortable going.
Paul reminds us that even eating and drinking should be done to the glory of God. Oftentimes, our resting involves plenty of eating and drinking. It's almost like Paul is talking directly about glorifying God in our rest. So, ensure that it glorifies God, whether you are hurtling off for a vacation, reading a book, watching a movie, or teaming up with friends.
Hard Work Should Precede Rest
"Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day." (Genesis 1:31)
Before resting from His work, God looked at what He had made and saw that it was very good. This gave Him the license to take a break. Resting should not be an excuse for laziness or mediocre work. We should ensure we have worked hard and delivered impeccable results before gearing up for a break.
Paul challenges us to do everything heartily as to the Lord and not man (Colossians 3:23). Before resting, we should be able to display the good results we have diligently achieved. King Solomon reminds us that whatever our hands find to do, we ought to do it with all our might (Ecclesiastes 9:10). Resting should not be used to excuse laziness and mediocre work. As we work, we need to walk circumspectly, redeeming the time for the days are evil (Ephesians 5:15)
We also need to remember that there is a time for everything, including time to rest. King Solomon observed that it was pitiful to have princes feasting in the morning (Ecclesiastes 10:16). Mornings are expected to be full of productive work. Therefore, it was alarming to find princes reveling then. Jesus said that He needed to work while it was still day, for the night would eventually come when no one could work (John 9:4). Sanctified rest is scheduled at the right time and comes after diligent output.
Inch Closer to God as You Recharge
"And He said to them, "Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while." For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat." (Mark 6:31).
Jesus was God in human form. He was, therefore, not exempt from emotional and physical weariness, just like his disciples. After receiving the news that John the Baptist had been beheaded, Jesus departed to a deserted place by Himself (Matthew 14:13). Perhaps He needed a minute to take it all in. In the thick of ministry, Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed (Luke 5:16). He needed to reinvigorate His spirit before resuming ministry.
We also see him catching some z's in the boat, completely unruffled as the wind beat against the boat (Mark 4;37,38). In His rest, however, Jesus did not disconnect from His Father. He found refreshment by inching closer to Him. As we pause from our work, let's stay connected to God. Let's not drop our prayer time and Bible study just because we are on vacation. Our bodies need rest, but our spirits can only find true rest in fellowship with our Father.
Originally published June 23, 2025.
