Rest

A Month of Sundays

/ pastorpete51 / 3 Comments

So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation. Genesis 2:3 ESV

Keeping up with my grandmother’s brisk pace was indeed a challenging task, because whenever I would lag behind, she would exclaim, “At this rate we won’t get there in a month of Sundays!” Yet, if you think keeping up with my Grandmother was hard, think about trying to keep up with the Almighty! Consider that, in just the first two days of creation, God made light, planets, galaxies, oceans, and continents, and then He was just getting started!

Over the next three days, projects seemed to fly off of God’s workbench at an increasing pace and in ever greater detail. Then, on day six, God paused, stooped down, scooped up some clay, and began to form man with His own hands. This creation was not only more complex than anything He had done before, but it was also the only one that was a reflection of His own image. Finally, God bent down and breathed into man’s nostrils the breath of life, and He named Him Adam. But, as God watched Adam, for the first time He noticed something that wasn’t good. Adam was alone. So, God caused Adam to sleep, and while he rested, God took one of his ribs and created Eve to be his companion. Then, in the crowning moment, after six fast and furious days, God came to rest so that His children could walk with Him. In spite of how He had rushed through creating the Heavens and the Earth, walking slowly with His children was no problem for God. In fact, God loved that seventh day so much that the Bible tells us that God gave it a special blessing and called it Holy! If it delighted God so much to slow His pace to walk with us, why are we always in such a hurry? Maybe, if instead of always anxiously rushing ahead to our next project, we slowed our pace to the “Month of Sundays” speed, we just might find out what delights God the most and be better prepared for whatever lies ahead!

Not a Very Good Waiter (Verse two)
By a well He waited at noonday
For the woman who thirsted for more
And He calls us to come when we’re weary and worn
For refreshing that He has in store
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Not a Very Good Waiter

/ pastorpete51 / 4 Comments

Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day shall be put to death. Exodus 31:15 ESV

It is amazing how resting, which after a long hard work-week, you might think would be kind of desirable and natural. And yet to those Israelites as much as with us today it was such a struggle that God had to prescribe the death penalty, in order to get everyone’s attention about obeying this commandment. And you might also assume that since I am now in my early seventies and still struggling through Covid, that I would be smart enough to listen to my wife and rest. But no! The lawn needed mowing, the weather was perfect, and no one was around outside. What could it hurt? Stumbling back inside a while later, I learned what it could hurt and that was my body! God has not only designed us to rest, and to rest in Him, but He has also made it so there will be consequences when we fail to do so. Since rest is something, I am still trying to learn after 50 plus years as a Christian, I hope that this upcoming series on rest may be of benefit to others as well. Today was just a teaser, but we’ll begin in earnest on Monday (I have to rest tomorrow!). I am looking forward to hearing your comments, feedback or personal stories on how you are learning to rest.

Not a Very Good Waiter
I’m not a very good waiter
Doing nothing seems simply a waste
But our Father who loves to walk slowly
Does nothing in hurry or haste!

Holy Saturday – The Selah of God

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Many are saying of my soul, “There is no salvation for him in God.” Selah Psalm 3:2 ESV

WE find the curious word “Selah” sprinkled here and there among the Psalms. Most scholars believe its meaning is similar to that of a rest in a musical composition. At a “Selah” moment, we are to pause and reflect on the melody that came before it and then prepare for what is to follow. In the same way, between the death of Christ on Friday and His resurrection on Sunday morning, is the Selah of Saturday when Jesus rested in the grave. No important activities, no miracles, or signs are mentioned in any of the gospels during those twenty-four hours. While the enemies of Christ were busy posting a guard, sealing the tomb, and worrying about His prophecy of rising from the dead, His followers simply went home and rested on the Sabbath. If, like those early disciples, you have been rocked by events beyond your control, and you are hiding behind closed doors, maybe it is God’s invitation to rest. Maybe He is offering this “Selah” moment, to look back and remember, not just the immediate difficulty, but also the many blessings that God has given in the past. He has given us life, and in Jesus we have hope and a home in Heaven. We have received God’s promises, His presence, and His precious Holy Spirit to comfort us. We have His mercy to forgive our sins and His grace to strengthen us in weakness. And on this quiet Holy Saturday, between the cross and resurrection morning we have this Selah of Saturday, when by faith we put all our hope in God and rest in His arms while we wait for the stone to roll away!

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