“An Invitation to Rest” by Tristen Groff

This past week, Luke Wollan & I were able to attend a “First Call” conference put on by the Augustana District of LCMC. The theme of the conference was “Sabbath, Rest, and Boundaries” – which was timely for this season of my life.

The first night we learned specifically about Sabbath and how to look at it biblically. We learned that Sabbath is both a gift from our Creator (as seen in Genesis 1), but also a commandment (as seen in Exodus 20). Which brought up the question: why do we need a commandment to receive something as a gift? Why do we neglect the gift of Sabbath? To paraphrase a quote from the weekend: “Why do we feel guilty about breaking nine of the commandments, while also feeling guilty about keeping one?”

And our answers to these questions came down to two things: we don’t want it and we don’t trust it. We don’t want it in the sense that we like feeling busy – deep down we enjoy the feeling that comes from being relied upon by others and having packed schedules. And we don’t trust it in the sense that we don’t think God will actually provide if we rest. Our prideful human nature tells us we are too important – too many people and things rely on us to be able to take the time to rest. But to keep the Sabbath is to recognize our dependence on God, to recognize our limits, and to trust in God to provide. In other words: to admit that we are not God. I was convicted.

So, what should Sabbath look like? We often associate Sabbath with rest, which is true. But the rest associated with Sabbath is a rest that can only come from being in relationship with our Creator. For us to receive this gift and truly honor this commandment, it means resting in Christ and receiving his Word. Some of the ways we can do this are through prayer, being saturated and formed by Scripture, enjoying His creation, and spending intentional time with the family and neighbors He has blessed us with. While Sabbath certainly can look like a nice afternoon nap or a day off from doing laundry (both great gifts from the Lord!), the primary purpose of Sabbath is for us to fix our eyes on Christ – being formed by His word, trusting in His promises, and enjoying the gifts He has spoken through it.

Rest is a part of God’s original creation design. It is not a reward that we have to earn, but a gift to be received. Rest helps us to acknowledge our limitations, fix our eyes on Christ, and let God be God. Jesus tells us in Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Friends, Jesus is the living fulfillment of Sabbath rest and He invites you to come and see.