What is rest? Is it boredom? Is it excused laziness? At minimum, it is a change. It is a ceasing of the work that comprises the statistical bulk of our time. Of our lives. It is more than “doing nothing”, because doing nothing so often results in the opposite of rest’s intent. The telos of rest is the renewal of body, soul, and spirit that allows us to continue the labor that is given man to do. Even in Eden, Adam needed to cease from gardening for a time so that he might return to it with joy.
Rest is the breather the starter takes on the bench at the end of the quarter so that he can start the next quarter at his best. Rest is the relaxing of muscles so that they are ready to contract again with the rising of the sun. Rest is refueling. Rest is refreshing. Rest is renewal. Rest is not an escape.
The sun collapses – exhausted – into the welcoming blanket of night, in whose embrace we cease from our daily toil to sleep.
Weekdays descend into the Sabbath, in whose shadow we rest from our labor under the sun and find refreshment.
Seasons – tender in their youth but radicalized into extremities of cold and heat – are domesticated by holy-days of feasting.
The rhythm of labor and rest are rooted in our Creator, who ceased from His labor on the seventh day. Rest is made for man, not man for rest. Rest is our servant, not our Master. But our Master made rest, and we submit to our Master by using Rest as our servant.
Rest is not the opposite of productivity, but the precursor to fruitfulness. Rest is the necessary foundation for all human endeavor. It is the womb of inspiration and creativity, and it is the well-spring of vigor.
Rest is not what we earn for our labor, but what our labor requires in order to be fruitful. In order to be a meaningful sacrifice. The altar of fruitfulness is hewn from the rock of rest.
The things we call “rest” are not always restful. An abundance of entertainment is enervating, not invigorating. An hour on social media is distracting, not focusing. We know how to be un-productive, but do we know how to rest? We know how to waste time, but that doesn’t mean we know how to rest.
Worship is tiring. Worship requires work. But worship is restful because it is spiritually invigorating. Sleep is restful because it is physically renewing. Holydays are restful because they remind us of the higher purpose and glorious calling that gets muddled in our brains in the mundane-ness of daily life.
In the ancient world, the human body needed rest more than the human mind. But in the modern world, the human mind needs rest more than the human body. The speed of modern life and the temptation to tantalize our brains in every moment of stillness with a reel or a game or a clip or a playlist causes constant mental tension. If the Law was given today, would God command that sticks MUST be gathered on the Sabbath but all screens must be turned off? Probably not, but it’s an interesting thought.
Christ is our Sabbath. He is our Rest. We cease from our labors of self-righteousness in Him. But this does not mean that we cease from works of Righteousness. It simply means that until we accept His rest, we are weary and heavy laden. In Christ, our labor is fruitful. When we rest in Him, our labors of Righteousness are fruitful. This is the pattern. Rest, then fruitfulness.
Nathan Writes 