The Art Of Resting

or "I'm Gonna rest like it's 5764!

September 28, 2003
Tony Tietz

[23] The LORD said to Moses, [24] "Say to the Israelites: 'On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of rest, a sacred assembly commemorated with trumpet blasts. [25] Do no regular work, but present an offering made to the LORD by fire.'"
Lev 23:23-25 (NIV)

SCRIPTURES ON WORK AND REST:

Work is not:

• a curse (God gave Adam and Eve work before the fall.)
  God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."
  Gen 1:28 (NIV)
  The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.
  Gen 2:15 (NIV)

Work is:

• To be enjoyed.
  [12] I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. [13] That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil-- this is the gift of God.
  Eccl 3:12-13 (NIV)
  
• To be done diligently and without the prodding of others.
  [6] Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! [7] It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, [8] yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. [9] How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? [10] A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest-- [11] and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man. Prov 6:6-11 (NIV)
  Diligent hands will rule, but laziness ends in slave labor.
  Prov 12:24 (NIV)
  
• An offering to God.
  And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
  Col 3:17 (NIV)
  Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.
  Prov 16:3 (NIV)

Rest is not:

• An excuse to neglect others.
• The norm. If you are normally resting, then you are not resting. You are lazy.
  One who is slack in his work is brother to one who destroys.
  Prov 18:9 (NIV)

Rest is:

• Commanded by God 16%/59 days of the year, 28% of our careers (59 days x 6 years, then a year of rest! = 719 days of rest out of every 2555 days.) This is sometimes hard to accept, once we realize that work is from God.
• A sign of trust.
  [10] for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. [11] Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience. Heb 4:10-11 (NIV)

New Year's Resolutions

1. Be still
   "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." Ps 46:10 (NIV)
2. Believe (don't expect it to seem logical or best all of the time.)
3. Honor others as you honor the Sabbaths (refresh others as you are refreshed.)