Day 4: Millions of Good Things vs REST

With three children, an attentive husband and a thriving career it is not often that I think of myself as enjoying leisure time. Although my husband will tell you I stay up too late reading or watching Netflix- this is one of the rare times of the day that I get to choose what I want to do. Even then I find myself getting caught up in doing for others rather than for renewal. Many people have weighed in on the idea of leisure time, and all of them define it a bit differently. In general, however, leisure is what one does to renew or restore oneself in an effort to stay focused on achievement the rest of the time.

Our culture is achievement obsessed. And by our culture, I mean me. I love to see what I can create, develop or foster in others. I take pride in a job well done and influencing other people and things in a positive way. While I don’t need tons of accolades, I do warm up to acknowledgement by others or words of affirmation. I like to do good and I hate making mistakes. Doing the “right” thing takes work, and work (whether at home or in the office) keeps me busy. So where does leisure fit in?

“Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” Mark 6:31

“Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord guards the city, the guard keeps watch in vain. It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives sleep to his beloved.” Psalm 127:1-2

“Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” Mark 2:27

“Six days do your work, but on the seventh day do not work, so that you ox and your donkey may rest, and so that the slave born in your household and the foreigner lining among you may be refreshed.” Exodus 23:12

“By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. 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.” Genesis 2:2-3

 “As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, ‘Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!’ ‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.’” Luke 10:38–42

As usual, I find comfort and conviction in God’s word. I hear him saying to me that it is o.k. to work in this world, as he directed Adam to do, to make things beautiful and right and especially to do so in a way that will bring him Glory. I also hear his reminder that it isn’t the toiling that brings about achievement (not since sin is ever-present in this world) but it is God and in glorifying Him that we can build up our strength. In his word I see a tale of caution that when we are too busy in the preparedness and service to Christ we may miss his very presence. I see that rest and our practice on Sabbath is created for US, for ME, not for God. God does not need us in worship nor does he have much use for our rest, He knows that WE need these things.

Our God role modeled rest throughout creation as he savored each creation day by day. Christ stole away for solitude even when thousands clamored for his attention. In fact, these people didn’t just clamor, they NEEDED Him, they represented MILLIONS of GOOD things he could be doing with his time. And still he knew the importance of rest and leisure time spent with his heavenly father. (Although it strikes me that prayer resulting in blood was not one of the leisure moments in communication with His Father.)

But is it in Psalm 127 that my soul sings with the knowledge that it is as His beloved that he desires rest for me. It is a gift, among many, that he desires me to experience. He will give it to me because he cares for me, and if my stubborn self refuses to accept this gift for its own merit, I will do so out of obedience, because it is not only good news but also law. When there are many people clamoring for my attention he tells me “come away with me, alone, and I will give you rest.”