"Cared-for" Kind of Rest

June 3, 2024

From Pastor Joseph Wamack

Hello MAC family! I hope you are doing well this week and not draining the batteries leading to exhaustion. Here is a question for you? Do you think God ever gets tired? I mean, watching out for people, answering all of those prayers, handling crisis after crisis, He would seem to need rest and sleep, wouldn’t He? At least a nap for 30 minutes or so? Or an easy chair and ottoman to sit in for a lazy afternoon?

Maybe that is why He added a 7th day Sabbath rest after six days of creation. He was just too tuckered out and needed to sit down and take a load off of His feet. I can relate to that. I have to take a rest after mowing the lawn; or changing a couple of light bulbs, I can only imagine what He had going on after six full days of creating.

But truth be told-I think the reason God rested after six days of creating-which probably wasn’t a lot to Him (He spoke things into existence-so it wasn’t a lot of physical labor) was to demonstrate to Adam and Eve their need of communing with Him, enjoying what He had given them and reflecting on the goodness and kindness of God. God is a generous God! They needed to rest in the knowledge that they were children of the King! Hand made by the King of Creation Himself!

In fact, Psalm 121 says, “I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. 

Interesting-God never slumbers nor sleeps. He did not rest in the Garden because He needed it. He rested because He wanted to spend time with His creation-man and woman…you know...people…like you and me.

The 7th day Sabbath was not given as a test or a law but as a day of communion and commitment. God shows His commitment to us by entering into this rest with us. Rest is so much more than putting one’s feet up or not working. It is resting in a “cared for” sort of way-safe and secure from all alarm-resting knowing the King of the Universe sees you and cares for you. Real rest involves trust. God breathed the breath of Life into you. You can rest knowing you are His. Rest in the knowledge you are loved and watched over today. You are royalty!