Rest Areas
By Pastor Ben

“So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.”            (Genesis 2:3)

Seasoned travelers love the simplicity of rest areas. These stops don’t have the same distractions as regular exits. There is one bathroom, one vending machine, and one area for the dog to take a break.
Unfortunately, it seems like rest stops are hardly ever there when you need them. The same can often be said of us — we’re speeding down the highway of life with nowhere to stop for rest.

In today’s Bible verse, we see God creating the Sabbath day. In Hebrew, Sabbath means “day of rest.” God’s Old Testament people observed Saturday as the Sabbath day. Now, we celebrate the Sabbath primarily on Sunday to commemorate the resurrection of Jesus.
God set aside the Sabbath for rest and worship, but when we move a million miles an hour through the rest of the week, one day of rest is simply not enough. Our Father knows us intimately — He created us. He knows our need for daily rest and meditation in His Word.

I know it’s difficult to stop and rest. Instead of pulling off the highway at a simple rest area, we turn toward the exit for the big city. So much to see, so many places to go. Distractions everywhere! One. Big. Headache!

Have you ever felt like this? A complicated commute means you have to leave home early and miss your morning devotions. You sit down to rest in the evening but feel compelled to keep checking your smartphone. Your thoughts and worries keep you up at night. Then, you spend the next day even more sleep-deprived and unfocused than before.

You can’t rest, on Sunday or any other day, until you entrust your cares to your Heavenly Father, finding your rest in Him:

“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him.”        (Psalm 37:7)

In your stillness, the Lord will calm your fears and silence your distractions. He will give you wisdom and guidance. You’ll feel the grace and mercy of Jesus flowing into your life.
Take a break, relax, unplug from work, and tune out the world. Jesus has a rest stop waiting for you and it gets great reviews.

PRAYER STARTER:
Jesus, help me to see and seize the opportunities you give me for rest . . .