Lenten Word 15: Rest

Mark 6:30 The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. 31 He said to them, "Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while." And in Exodus 20, in the Big Ten: "9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work. 10 But the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work—you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and consecrated it."

Rest is a time set aside for renewal and refreshing; it is as much for our spirit as it is for our body, but it demands our focus to not focus on anything but rest. Rest, for some, is difficult or impossible. Some have a tremendous work ethic and cannot bear to take time off; some have too much of a tremendous rest ethic and don't find time to work.

Our Lenten Journey is about finding a balance between the spiritual and the physical, and it demands our setting aside time to rest. Rest in the Bible is a time spent listening and searching; thus our worship on our Sabbath, the day of resurrection, Sunday.

Worship God, but listen for God's voice as we rest in Him.

PRAYER: Loving God, help me in my work and in my rest. Help me to be renewed and refreshed, always open to Your voice and leading. This I pray in Christ Jesus, amen.