EMBRACING REST

Can I have a holiday from your “holiday” today?

A question that my wife asked me on a recent trip to Bali. I have always been someone who tries to fit in as much into a day as I can. I love the good old to-do list and find it difficult when I have spare time as I have bought into our culture as it tells us to achieve, achieve, achieve, strive, strive, strive. A society that believes efficiency is the master of all. 

When my family has a holiday (rest time) I try to find everything we can do in the area and experience everything the area has to offer. I want to experience it all in a life of adventure and use my time the best I can.

This year I have been challenged to assess the way I approach rest through people close to me, sermons from church and staff speaking at our morning meetings. Rest is mentioned up to 520 times in the bible and as I mentioned before I, up until this point, have not placed a great level of importance on it or maybe with five kids I have not really been able to make space for it.

One of the New Testament presentations of rest in the bible, is seen in the Greek form “anapausis”. This word means cessation or refreshment. Rest, quiet, ceasing, and refreshment. This is the picture of rest in the bible. Its also so very far removed from our day to day lives. God desires for us to live a life doing work that allows for quiet, calmness, stability and tranquility at times. He calls us to rest so that we can be restored and strengthened. He wants to guide us and remind us of His plans for us. I have made some progress but it is still a journey. 

Rest for me takes a few different forms. A good old bath, a game of golf if I play well, a swim in the cool ocean on a hot summers day, prayer and worship. I recently took a day away from everything and went down to the Peninsula, played a round of golf and then relaxed at the hot springs. This was a great day of rest for me, I encourage you to lean into what brings you rest and refreshment.

Where do you find rest?

Should you embrace it more often?

Jeremiah 31:25

For I will satisfy the weary soul, and every languishing soul I will replenish.