As a parent, I’ve uttered those words quite a bit– “Be still!”
God shares them with us in a way that shows his love and concern for us though, not the frustration of a frazzled parent.
Psalm 46:10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God…”
As we opened up this series on Sunday (listen to the podcast here), we were reminded that God CREATED rest. He set a pattern for us.
Genesis 2:1-3
1 Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. 2 By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.
Did God NEED to rest? I don’t think so. It’s a natural, healthy cycle. “It’s good for you!” How many times do you here that? About food, exercise, learning, etc. God knows our tendency is to work, work, work, because we feel like the fruitfulness of our lives is dependent on our labor. God wants to remind us that every good and perfect gift comes from him (James 1:17).
Part of setting aside a “sabbath” (setting aside work and resting one day out of the week) is just “good” for us, but there is also an important spiritual principle. It’s God’s covenant with us– to show that we depend on Him, and we belong to Him.
Exodus 31:17
17 It will be a sign between me and the Israelites forever, for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he abstained from work and rested.'”
Do you have the guts to do NOTHING for God? It takes obedience… and courage. To TRUST God with our lives, our schedule, everything. As I said on Sunday, when we die, there will still be appointments in our agenda, things un-done on our lists. God gives us every moment we have, and He has a plan for every moment. So let’s trust him… and rest!