“He (Jesus) worked six days, then rested one. He stopped His work and ceased His routine. He enjoyed His family. And He worshiped His heavenly Father and did not defy the cadence of life that God initiated.”
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When I read Stephen W. Smith’s The Jesus Life: Eight Ways to Recover Authentic Christianity a few months ago, I remember being terribly convicted by that quote. It never occurred to me that Jesus lived according to that 6:1 rhythm. Even Jesus made time to stop, to rest, to renew.
An Invitation to Rest
This has been a steady whisper in my ear for over a year now and I’m so torn up by it. It started last year by reading Margaret Feinberg’s Wonderstruck and the importance of Sabbath was woven into those pages. Then came The Jesus Life and the reminder that I can’t be like Christ without rest. Now, it’s here again in Ann Voskamp’s One Thousand Gifts:
“In our own rushing, bulls in china shops, we break our own lives. Haste makes waste.”
This is everywhere I look right now and I just don’t know what to do with it. We’re a ministry family; even our set-apart holy day is busy. It’s just who we are. Sure, we try to make it up during the week, but we’re not always successful.
Why is it so tough? Why is it so hard to stop this breakneck pace and savor what’s before us? I appreciate what’s before me, I show gratitude for it, I love it, I’m blessed by it. But, do I savor it? Do I drink it in? How did I let myself get too busy to savor? Here’s another quote from Stephen W. Smith and The Jesus Life:
“Is there a way to choose a few things and do them well rather than do a lot of things halfway or not at all? Can we accept that we may be in a season when we need to say no with the understanding that the season will not last forever?”
That’s where I find myself right now. I’m reading those two sentences and rereading them and trying my very best to figure out how to apply them. Does anyone else read that and long for it to be a possibility, just to be able to stop and savor this season of life?
I don’t know all the answers, but I do know that it starts with Him. It starts with the very one who created rest. In early 2014, I was reading these words from Margaret Feinberg’s Wonderstruck:
“God established the Sabbath from the beginning of time for all time. In a world marked by endless demands to work and produce, God issues an invitation to rest. “
Rest is a gift. It’s time to open it up and enjoy it. It’s time to savor again. Will you join me? I know making the adjustment won’t be easy, but it will be worth it. After all, we can only be who we need to be for those around us if we’re full. We can’t pour out and bless when we’re empty. Running on fumes isn’t an option.
Maybe you’re like me and you need that reminder to rest. Today that reminder comes in the form of free printables. I couldn’t decide if I was in the mood for chalkboard-style or something a little different. I guess you can see that I went with both.
Download them, print them, frame them, do something pinteresting with them. Whatever you do, use them to remind you to rest. (They’re formatted to be 8 x 10 prints.)
I struggle with this as well. Trying to balance homeschooling, homemaking, and working at home is a challenge. Plus, my husband’s job has demanding hours. I try to be intentional to have a day a week that I unplug and enjoy. But it’s difficult. I often find myself needing to restart that habit.
Thanks for this post. I think the Sabbath is important too. I love the scriptures of your printable! Thank you! :)
Thanks for stopping by, Kelly! That Sabbath is crucial, but it's so tough to put into practice! I'm getting better though. ;)