Rest is important. Do you take one day of rest each week? What is your resting heart rate? How much sleep do you get a night? The mattress industry alone is worth $27 billion each year. I don’t think anyone would argue that rest is important. How to get your rest is a much harder question.
God knows that you need that rest, so starting with the creation of the world he created a day of rest. And 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. God wasn’t tired; he’s God. Resting on the seventh day set a model in place for his creation. That spilled over into the 3rd Commandment where God commanded his Old Testament people to take a day of rest.
That doesn’t mean it’s mandatory nap day on Sundays. The rest God was talking about – to be sure – was physical rest, but the most important part of it was the spiritual rest that we can only find in the promises and peace of our God. Jesus calls to us, Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
We aren’t done yet! God’s Old Testament people had even more rules. Some called it the hedge that God placed around his people – everything from circumcision to worship rules to the dietary restrictions of eating kosher. All of those were a shadow of the things to come. Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ – Colossians 2:16-17.
So let me offer to you HERE the best places in the city to find shrimp. Enjoy our Sunday (or Saturday, or any day of the week) worship service. Find your rest in Jesus.
Want to hear more? Watch this Sunday’s Bible class on the 3rd Commandment.
Please click HERE for the Bible class slides.