Rest by Design

The theme for the next three weeks is “Rest.” There are times when for each of us rest is difficult, when we have trouble sleeping and/or relaxing because we’re tense or worried. There is scientific and medical evidence that sleep is essential and beneficial, but even without such scientific evidence we know from the first Genesis creation story that our having been created in God’s image means that God’s resting is imbedded in humanity. The first creation story could have ended at the end of the sixth day, when all had been created and deemed “good,” but there follows another day when God rested. In the list of Ten Commandments in Exodus, keeping the Sabbath, the fourth commandment, is central and commands us not only to rest, but to be attentive to God. That commandment is lengthy and also commands that we allow all those around us to rest. Further instruction is to practice Sabbath every seven years, allowing the land to rest. We live in a time when there are many jobs for which people work on Sundays, but the commandment to rest can still apply for such people. As God did and commands us to do, may we all rest to renew ourselves and to connect with God.