Are You Neglecting This Command?

I just finished reading the book of Leviticus, and one thing that struck me was the number of laws regarding rest. The Sabbath day, the Sabbath year, the year of Jubilee… A man could be put to death for doing something as “insignificant” as collecting a few sticks while he was supposed to be resting on the Sabbath (Numbers 15:32-36).

This made me wonder… if rest were easy to obey, it wouldn’t be a command. Have you ever felt guilty resting? Or wondered how others can sit and do nothing when there’s so much to do? Well, I certainly have.

These thoughts can plague us, making the enjoyment of rest an impossible dream. God himself rested and told us to rest. It wasn’t simply recommended, but commanded.

“Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the LORD your God. “ Exodus 20:8-11

Isn’t it odd that some of us feel guilty about keeping one of God’s Ten Commandments? Why do we tend to fill every gap of our time with a task?

Today, remember to obey the Lord’s command to rest and trust that He will provide what is necessary for you, even when you are resting.

Dear Father, thank You for the invitation to stop working and trust You. Help me obey Your command to rest when the pull to work starts. I want to trust You more and accept Your gift of rest. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Image: Mark Harpur on Unsplash