Rest

Emily Gravino

READY

“On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when he rested from all his work of creation.” — Genesis 2:2–3

SET

As a former college athlete, I understand how much work and time goes into being a great competitor. The athletic world is a nonstop, grind it out, always getting better type of world. We almost feel guilty for taking time off, but God offers us a different way to live.

Sabbath was first introduced when God created the whole world in six days and then rested on the seventh. He later made it part of the Ten Commandments, and it has been practiced for centuries. God blessed this day and said that it is Holy. Sabbath was created for us to stop, rest, worship, and celebrate. It’s a day created to refuel our bodies, hearts, minds, and souls. It is a time for us to stop and be with Him. He knows that we need it in order not to burn out.

I don’t know about you, but I have not followed this rest rhythm for most of my life. I just recently started practicing the sabbath, and let me tell you, it’s hard. It’s hard to slow down in a world that tells you to speed up. If we look at Jesus as our model for living, He was never hurried and constantly got away to rest and be with the Father.

What if we needed to rest more instead of training or working more? He wants us to be the best athletes we can be, on and off the field. To do that, we need to be rested and rooted in Him. Find the time where you can stop and be. Figure out what makes you rest. Is it in nature on a hike, maybe cooking, taking a nap, praying, or spending time with a good friend? Whatever makes you feel connected to Jesus . . . try it out!

GO  

• Do you feel hurried, overwhelmed, or burnt out?  
• What do rest and worship look like for you?

WORKOUT

Mark 2:27; Matthew 11:29–30

OVERTIME

"Lord, help me to learn how to rest. Show me how to create a rhythm of stopping to be in Your presence. Amen."