Your Daily Devotional for August 11, 2007

 

August 11,  2007

 

 

A Practice of Rest

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

 

"And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made."

 

Genesis 2:2-3

 

 

One man challenged another man to an all-day wood-chopping contest. The challenger worked very hard, stopping only for a brief lunch break. The other man had a leisurely lunch and took several breaks during the day. At the end of the day, the challenger was surprised and annoyed to find that the other fellow had chopped substantially more wood than he had. "I don't get it," he said. "Every time I checked, you were taking a rest, yet you chopped more wood than I did." "But you didn't notice," said the winning woodsman, "that I was sharpening my ax when I sat down to rest."

 

Yesterday we saw that God has given us a pattern for work. In the fifth commandment, God tells us to honor His holy day of rest. As we see God's pattern for work through Creation, we can also see His practice of rest after He had completed Creation.

 

Many people in our world believe it is necessary to work on Sunday so they can provide for their families. But God promises that if we trust Him and honor His commands, He will provide for us. When we take time on Sunday for rest, we are saying that our God is big enough to provide for us while we rest.

 

We all need rest. Whether we like to admit it or not, our bodies can only take so much hard work at a time! God has created us to need rest and to renew our energy. God showed us this as He took time on the seventh day of Creation to rest. He sanctioned the Sabbath day (Sunday) as a day of rest, renewal, and worship. We must follow His practice of rest and take time from work to worship Him each week.

 

In the early days of our country, many shops and places of business were not open on Sundays. Even today, there are some stores that either do not open or open later on Sundays so that people may go to church! As God's children, we must realize the importance of God's command to rest.

 

Not only is the Sabbath day a day of rest, but it is also a day of renewal. As Christians, working all week in a secular environment can be depleting to our spiritual welfare. We need this time each week to come together with fellow believers and learn from God's Word. We need to renew our spirit as well as our bodies each week.

 

The retail businessman J.C. Penney once made this statement about work: "If a man's business requires so much of His time that he cannot attend the services of his church, then that man has more business than God intended him to have."

 

God has set apart Sunday as a holy day of rest and renewal. We must honor the Lord by obeying His command to rest. We must trust Him with our finances and believe that, as we obey His command to rest, He will provide for our needs.

 

Are you obeying God's command to rest on Sundays? Are you renewing your spirit by attending church each week? God has set this day apart as our day to come and worship Him. Determine right now to be in church each Sunday. Purpose to honor God by resting and renewing your spirit.

 

 

 

Daily Bible Reading

Psalm 81-83 • Romans 11:19-36

 

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