Daily Devotional: Day 108
“Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 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.”
The Christian life is about imitating our Father in heaven. In Ephesians 5:1, the Bible says, “Therefore be imitators of God as dear children” (RSV). The first person you must imitate in life is God, your heavenly Father. We are His children, so it makes sense that we should want to be like our Divine Parent. In six days God created the heavens and the earth. On the seventh day, He rested from His work. Think about it: Even God takes a rest. Resting is sacred.
Resting is a deserved break from working. We must, therefore, distinguish it from sloth or laziness. God rested after His work of creation. The point is, you need to earn your rest. When you do that, it makes resting more meaningful, refreshing and rewarding. Resting does not mean inactivity. You can be resting while engaging in stress-free activity that refreshes your spirit, body and mind. For example, you might spend time walking in a park while reflecting on the beauty of God’s creation. You might lie still in your couch meditating on the goodness of the Father and His Word. You might also want to read good books that edify you, or listen to good Christian music (not all “Christian music” is good). The writer of this Devotional, for instance, enjoys a variety of ways to rest. One of his favorites is to just lie still and listen to Handel’s Messiah while contemplating God’s breathtaking plan of salvation.
God wants you to imitate Him. Always keep that in mind. And imitating Him includes learning to take regular, meaningful, refreshing rest. From time to time, you might want to turn off your TV, video games, or even take a break from social media activity. Don’t allow your eyes, mind and body to be constantly bombarded by the latest entertainment news in town. This is part of being a child of the Father. At times, the best thing to do is to take a step back and just be.
Getting quality rest is a godly thing to do.
Resting doesn’t always mean sleeping. Quality rest means understanding that your mind and body need time to recover and be replenished. Don’t push your body and mind to the point where they can no longer support you. In today’s world, you need to be intentional about resting. Therefore, learn from your Father in heaven, and make a commitment to incorporate biblical rest into your life.
Prayer:
Dear Father, it is a privilege to be called your child. And it is an honor to imitate you. Grant me a spirit of wisdom and of revelation to know you more. And as I know you more, let me become more and more like you. In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
For further study: Exodus 31:12-18
Higher-Self Realities 