First Day - The Secret Of RestSýnishorn

Rest Is Physical

“Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” (Mark 6:31)

Rest has a strong physical component to it. By taking His disciples away for a spontaneous Sabbath, Jesus ensured that the demands being placed upon them could be put down for a while. However, physical rest is not just about doing nothing, it can involve activity of a different kind as well as a different approach to any day.

The benefits of regular rest as modelled throughout the Scriptures have proven medical value and cannot be ignored. In the pattern of the day (“evening and morning, the first day”) and the weekly cycle, physical rest was to be built into life as a normative, regular pattern. My grandmother used to say that a “change was as good as a rest,” and although it’s not the whole truth, there is some truth in her ancient wisdom.

A change of pace. Reduce the revs and slow down a little. Rest isn’t always about stopping everything; sometimes it can be as simple as doing things at a completely different pace, where we are not governed by the clock, but by enjoyment.

A change of place. Having lunch out at a café or restaurant can make all the difference. Taking a coffee at your favourite coffee shop instead of at home can encourage the mentality and physical enjoyment of rest. A walk in the park or a picnic in the woods may constitute just a few miles of effort but make a world of difference.

A change of practice. Changing the routine of our day and doing things differently with rest in mind can make a huge difference. If you normally have lunch at midday, why not try having it at 2:00 p.m.? Instead of watching the morning news, why not go out for a walk? Instead of going to the shopping mall, why not go to a park? Instead of watching a box set, why not go out to the cinema? Be intentionally spontaneous when it comes to rest … you just might enjoy it.

A change of purpose. The purpose of this period, event or day, is to save you, not the world. A healthy you gives the world you’re trying to save a better chance.