R. E. S. T
image credit: Aaron Burden, Unsplash
Rest is such a subtle yet powerful word and act.
Oftentimes, many consider rest as a form of weakness, especially depending on certain familiar, national, and societal standards. Yet, is it? In recent history, we’ve been inundated with prompts and promises of job-welfare that comprises of now “taking better care of employees”.
This sudden epiphany might be driven by caving into the demands of a new wave of workers and the irresponsible, but there isn’t a lack of truth in the forward motion towards the efforts of meeting people’s needs.
If we consider computers and other technological systems, there’s a common term that must follow with an act – reset. We’re familiar with the word reset. It’s a word mostly associated with technology. Regardless if you are tech savvy or not, you have been made aware of the word and meaning. Computers reset. Watches and clocks reset. Here in the United States, national time resets depending on Day Light Savings or non-Day Light Savings. Our smartphones now reset.
Reset
Reset can mean whatever it needs to mean per the thing in need of resetting. However, there is a common theme:
- Reset means something had been overworked and needs to rest or cool down.
- Reset means something might have possibly corrupted a system and to cleanse or restore the system a reset is required.
- Reset means do-over or start again.
- Reset means recentering or refocusing, which can be applied mentally, physically, emotionally, or spiritually.
- Reset means something that belongs to you, that is protected, requires a password. Let’s hypothesize you forget the password to a device e.g., your computer. Since it is your belonging you are able to verify it is in fact you, and a password is reset to an arbitrary password until you can create a new one.
The ABC’s
God ordained six days of activity, business, creativity, and doing, but He set apart one day out of seven to rest. He Himself rested.
Rest isn’t a frivolous suggestion; it’s a requirement. Solely for the purpose that since Creator God rested and we’re in His image, followers of His Son, and houses of Holy Spirit, we, too, should model after Him. Yet, rest is beyond some rule by which we must abide. It’s given to us as a gift.
Though, the Book of Ecclesiastes discusses the toiling of man’s hands all the days of his life – what’s it worth? The Preacher continues his procession of thoughts that it is worth everything. Humans were created to work (toil). Abandon the thought process we have of the curse from the Fall placed on Adam and all men (males) regarding work. Every human being from Adam until now and after was meant to work. God worked six days. We’re meant to enjoy the work of our hands as God did/does.
Work is what we do to worship our Creator. Work is based off of the gift (grace) and destiny in which He’s placed in us. Still, life wasn’t meant to be based around this aspect. For that, God sanctified time by setting it apart to simply be.
What Do We Do When We Rest?
What do we do when we rest?
We worship our Creator when we rest. By worship, I mean just the act itself of resting is worship.
When we rest we confuse and defeat our enemies (demonic foes). They do not:
- Understand when we rest why we’re resting. If they can throw a plethora of things, including good things that are out of God’s sequential design and desire, at us to cause us to disregard God’s command and impede from invading earth with heaven, they will.
- Have right to accuse us.
- Have access to us. For when we’re resting, we are abiding. When we’re abiding, we are in Him. When we are in Him, we are in His pavilion under His protection.
Resting shouldn’t be overcomplicated, although, it is. You set aside one full day unto God and watch Him work out what it needs to entail. Also, watch how your life is transformed: spirit, soul, and body.
Rest in Reset
In reset there is rest.
Therefore, in this worldwide reset, learn to rest. Enjoy this beautiful, sacred time of coming face-to-face with some internal blind spots we once had – we even have every week all six days until the seventh when we rest – prior the reset. Pause. Selah. Breath.
Rest isn’t just for our bodies, though, it helps tremendously. Rest aids our spirit man. We’re restored and rejuvenated.
