Rest

We just finished Leviticus. Whenever you finish a book in the Bible, someone should be able to wake you up in the middle of the night out of a dead sleep and say, “Leviticus!” You’d sit straight up in bed and give them one…just one pearl you got out of that book that changed the way you did life. How many of these fill in the blank studies do we do and all we can say when someone asks about our last Bible study was, “Oh it was good…good.” Well, what exactly was so good?

So of all the fantastic things in Leviticus (you should have had the teacher I had who probably remembers every single historical fact she ever learned in her entire life and is able to quote each tiny fact in detail with so much enthusiasm that you’re just shaking your head at the sheer wonder of it all and you walk away incredulous at…Leviticus…imagine!) one of the words that stood out was "rest."

Now this little muse today does not in any way explore the depths of this little word , it is just a rabbit trail.

That this word stood out is amazing because I come from a long line of women who can’t sit. Some women can…we just can’t. It’s not that always being upright is good and sitting is bad, it’s just the way it is. I think it was in the gene pool. And it’s not that we’re always doing work that’s even that important. We’re just always busy. It may be mindless but we’re on our feet, upright until we fall into bed at night as opposed to our husbands who at night can sit still as death in front of a TV doing nothing more than swallow and possibly blink when their thumb depresses the remote. In fact every cell in their body is so still you’d think they were dead…except they’re breathing and pink.

God gives Moses word for word instructions on the Sabbath…when he wants it celebrated and how. He gives him instructions on the Feasts, when and how. One of the words that repeat is rest. They are to cease labor and rest in order to reflect on the provision and mercy of God during these times.

He knew that you could not be at full tilt and reflect on him so he set aside a specific day, told the people to cease all labor and the only place they were to go was to a holy convocation. Now who do you think primarily he had in mind? Do you think most men would opt to work seven days a week? Nope. I think he was thinking (and this is just my opinion and totally conjecture) but I think he was thinking about women.

Why? In Exodus 35, Moses reviews God’s instructions in case they missed it the first time. He said, “These are the things that the Lord has commanded you to do. For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a holy day, a Sabbath of complete rest to the Lord.” Now just in case anyone thinks there’s wiggle room here, or that surely He did not mean the little woman couldn't cook dinner, He added, “whoever does any work on it shall be put to death. You shall not kindle a fire in any of your dwellings (now who do you suppose normally did that and cooked on it?) on the Sabbath day.”

He wanted everyone to stop what they were doing and rest and reflect on Him…. His goodness, His mercy, His provision, His love and care of them, His glory, His majesty, His awesome power. They could go around the family circle all day long, each verbally contributing aspects of God’s character that had directly impacted their lives.

In 4000 years, nothing’s changed as far as the composition of human bodies. Our livers are the same as they were 4000 years ago…as are our hearts, lungs, nerves, including our last nerves. Think our needs have changed? If anything, they have increased! We look like a hamster on a wheel now compared to people in Moses’ time, strolling through the wilderness. How much more do we need this time out for rest so we can reflect?

I don’t know about you, but just one day a week isn’t enough. I need to carve some time out every day and preferably at the beginning of the day to sit down and quietly reflect on the goodness and mercy and love of God. All around me is silent. After a time, I pray and then I read.

An incredible book was given to me. I should have ordered a case when they were $5 a book because I’ve given so many away. They are now up to $7.50 at our little bookstore and even if it’s $50 at yours, it is well worth the money and I’ll give you a month before you’ll order a case to give away too.

It’s a little daily devotional book called Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. It is written in the first person as if Jesus is talking to you personally. The main thrust of the book is the absolute necessity of remembering and consciously placing yourself in His presence.

Of course we know since He lives within us, He is always present. But we forget. The words in this book still the soul and direct my focus and my heart to the Father. There is a sense of serene calmness and peace directly attributable to the Father’s presence. She always gives references of a couple of scriptures that she has quoted so you know where her thoughts originated.

Can you imagine the difference starting the day with that vs. starting it with three kids jumping on top of you in bed because you opted to turn over and sleep an extra 30 minutes?

“For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.” Isaiah 41:13. What an incredible relationship. We will not plumb the depths or experience His fullness if we are blowing him a kiss while we zoom by on the way to the kitchen or zoom by as we drop kids off at school or run on the treadmill.

We had neighbors one time who were glued to the TV. Years ago. But I still remember when I would go over maybe to borrow a cup of sugar or take some mail that had come to us instead of them. They would ask me in but the whole time I was talking to them, they had one eye on me and one eye on the TV…their attention primarily on the TV because they found it infinitely more exciting than me. I just quit going over. I wanted their full and undivided attention at some point in the visit.

So with God.

And the secondary benefits are immense. Can you imagine once a day just being still and quiet, refocusing on the One who is really running the show, knows what you’ll face and reminds you not to fear, He’s got your hand? Can you imagine once a week, laying everything aside and just worshiping him and coming home to rest…everyone taking a nap and then rocking on the back porch reflecting on his goodness and provision and mercy and kindness and presence? Think that would positively impact our health? Our relationships?

Prayer, communication with God is absolutely vital throughout the day as we’re zooming around. But begin your day with a quiet time in the morning with no agenda but being with Him.

Just a thought.