Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.”
Rest requires humility because it forces us to slow down and stop whatever we are doing. It requires our full attention and is not something that can truly be done half-heartedly. Even as the antithesis of productivity, rest is the very thing that helps us be productive. Modern phrases like, “You’re going run yourself ragged” insinuate that we understand this relationship between rest and productivity. But rest is not something anyone else can do for you; it is something you have to do directly to gain the benefit from it.
The Pharisees wanted to put laws and practices around rest so that they could judge others and ensure that each person was adhering to God’s law, but Jesus’s words remind us that the intention of Sabbath is not a matter of something we need to control but a part of God’s design for each of us to rest in Him. Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is comfortable, and My burden is light.” In Sabbath, we are brought back to the rest only Jesus provides. It goes deeper than the legalism of dos and don’ts to give true rest and rejuvenation in our souls.
- What are some practical benefits of rest?
- How have you been guilty of trying to force others into rhythms of rest? How have you neglected these practices yourself?
- Pray and tell God some of the reasons you are weary and burdened. Seek rest in Him.
