In our fast-paced culture, it can be challenging to take time for rest and
relaxation, but it's important. We hope you enjoy today's post from Randy
Alcorn on the topic.
When God created the world, he
rested on the seventh day (Genesis 2:2). That’s the basis for the biblical Sabbath,
when all people and animals rested (Exodus
20:9-11). God set aside days and weeks of rest, and he even rested the
earth itself every seventh year (Leviticus
25:4-5). This is the rest we can anticipate on the New Earth—times of
joyful praise and relaxed fellowship.
Our lives in Heaven will include
rest (Hebrews
4:1-11). “‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ‘Yes,’
says the Spirit, ‘they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow
them’ ” (Revelation 14:13).
Eden is a picture of rest—work
that’s meaningful and enjoyable, abundant food, a beautiful environment,
unhindered friendship with God and other people and animals. Even with Eden’s
restful perfection, one day was set aside for special rest and worship. Work
will be refreshing on the New Earth, yet regular rest will be built into our
lives.
Part of our inability to appreciate
Heaven as a place of rest relates to our failure to enter into a weekly day of
rest now. By rarely turning attention from our responsibilities, we fail to
anticipate our coming deliverance from the Curse to a full rest.
Make every effort to enter that
rest” (Hebrews
4:11). It’s ironic that it takes such effort to set aside time for rest,
but it does. For me, and for many of us, it’s difficult to guard our schedules,
but it’s worth it. The day of rest points us to Heaven and to Jesus, who said,
“Come to me, all you who are weary…and I will give you rest” (Matthew
11:28).
What feels better than putting your
head on the pillow after a hard day’s work? (How about what it will feel like
after a hard life’s work?)
It’s good to sit back and have a glass of iced tea, feel the sun on your face,
or tilt back in your recliner and close your eyes. It’s good to have nothing to
do but read a good book or take your dog for a walk or listen to your favorite
music and tell God how grateful you are for his kindness. Rest is good. So good
that God built it into his creation and his law.
Some people thrive on social
interaction; others are exhausted by it. Some love solitude; others don’t. On
the New Earth, we’ll likely all welcome the lively company of others but also
crave times of restful solitude. We’ll enjoy both.
We catch glimpses of being able to
enjoy both work and rest at once. I used to feel this when body, mind, and the
beauty around me sometimes “kicked in” on a ten-mile run. I’ve experienced the
same thing bicycling, when I’ve felt I could ride forever and the pedaling I
was doing was part of a great rest. I can be working intently at something I
love yet find the work restful and refreshing.
God rested on the seventh day,
before sin entered the world. He prescribed rest for sinless Adam and Eve, and
he prescribed it for those under the curse of sin. Regular rest will be part of
the life to come in the new universe. (Wouldn’t it be wise to learn how to rest
now?)
Randy Alcorn is the founder and director of
Eternal Perspective Ministries (EPM), and the author of over 40 books. EPM is a
nonprofit organization dedicated to teaching biblical truth and drawing
attention to the needy and how to help them. EPM exists to meet the needs of
the unreached, unfed, unborn, uneducated, unreconciled and unsupported people
around the world. To learn more about Randy, his books, and EPM, visit www.epm.org
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