A rest is good for a change

“A change is as good as a rest.” We proclaim this maxim often enough, but how true is it?

I discovered during my sabbatical from pastoral duties last summer that it is true only in reverse order: “A rest is good for a change!” It’s good for a change of pace, and a change within me.

My sabbatical impressed upon me the importance of observing a regular time of rest belonging especially to God. Observing a Sabbath rest requires a purposeful setting aside of work, anxieties, desires, and all selfish pursuits and pleasures, and, in turn, embracing the triune God as the source of all good, trusting Him as our loving Father, worshipping Him as our Lord and Redeemer, depending on Him as our provider, looking to Him to satisfy our hearts’ desires.

Here are some suggestions for observing the Sabbath rest:

• Begin your Sabbath rest the evening before. Maybe read some Scriptures and pray.

  Before falling asleep, turn over to Jesus all your thoughts, concerns, hopes, and wishes. Give yourself into His care for your rest.

• The night’s sleep is a key part of Sabbath rest. The Jews always began the Sabbath at sundown. We are most vulnerable when we sleep. To sleep is to trust Jesus to watch over us.
• In the morning, before getting up, again give yourself and whatever the day may hold into the hands of Jesus. Decide to let Him carry your burdens that day.
• If Sunday is your day of rest, go to church anticipating the opportunity to worship God with fellow believers. Worship is a key element of rest. It helps put everything into proper perspective. It helps realign our priorities to correspond with God’s will.
• During the day of rest, be mindful of Jesus’ presence. Feelings of joy, delight, peace, and comfort are evidences of Jesus’ nearness. Whenever thoughts of work, present worries or questions of the future enter your mind, immediately give them to Jesus – He is big enough to handle them for a day. Whenever impulses toward consumerism or hedonism tempt you, turn these over to Jesus too.
• End the Sabbath rest with some ceremony, such as a reading and prayer, or other meaningful ritual. By marking the end of the rest we allow ourselves to re-engage with work and life.
• Lastly, do this regularly. If at all possible, do it once each week.

Do you feel your life spinning out of control? Are there too many items on the “to do” list and too little time? Are you consumed with a desire to buy or plagued with worry? Do you have an insatiable urge driving you to more – more work, more stuff, more pleasure?

Why not try resting for a change? Trust Jesus to take care of everything for one day. Let Him satisfy you.

Ken Dueck is pastor of Harrison Gospel Chapel in Harrison Hot Springs, B.C. These practical suggestions are taken from a sermon he preached after his sabbatical.