Entering God’s rest

Are you entering God’s rest? Are you setting time aside each week to honor the sabbath, to relax, to take care of yourself, and to be refilled?  God tells us in the 10 commandments in Exodus 20:

“Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work.”

He also tells us in Isaiah 58:13-15 to take the sabbath, to keep it holy, and He will bless and satisfy us:

“Keep the Sabbath day holy. Don’t pursue your own interests on that day, but enjoy the Sabbath and speak of it with delight as the Lord’s holy day. Honor the Sabbath in everything you do on that day, and don’t follow your own desires or talk idly. Then the Lord will be your delight.  I will give you great honor and satisfy you with the inheritance I promised to your ancestor Jacob. I, the Lord, have spoken!”

From John MacArthur’s tape, Entering God’s Rest, the word rest has the following definitions:

• To cease from labor or exertion
• To be free from worry – to be quiet, still, peaceful, free from guilt
• To be settled, rooted and grounded in God’s word
• To be secure, trusting and confident in God
• To have something to lean on, to have supply for all your needs.

Typically the Jews set aside Friday evening to Saturday evening for their sabbath, and Christians often celebrate the Sabbath on Sundays.  I don’t think we need to get hung up on which day of the week is the real Sabbath (although I usually honor it on Sundays).  The point is that God wants us to rest one day a week – as He rested after He finished all of His creation work.

We can enter that rest by going to church and worshipping God, fellowshipping with other believers, reading the Bible and praying, physically resting through naps, enjoying time with our family,  relaxing at home, enjoying tasty meals, having friends over, going for a walk, or doing fun things to get a break in our routine.

Today I took that rest and on the way to a matinee, I stopped by a new restaurant. There was a patio in the sunlight with tables, Greek music played in the background inside the restaurant, and a tv screen showed the beautiful scenery of Greece.  I enjoyed hummus and warm pita bread, chicken kabobs, and stuffed grape leaves (beef and rice stuffed inside grape leaves, dotted with olive oil and lemon juice).  I didn’t realize it was so much food when I ordered it (no, I didn’t eat it all!), but it was delicious.  Truly it was a feast, and I was very thankful! 

What about you?  Do you need to enter God’s rest today?

 Here is  a brief vlog of the restaurant, and of the fountain by the movie theatre in Overland Park, KS. 

Vlog of restaurant and food

Water fountain by theatre

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