Joy in Rest

It’s hard to find joy when your body and mind are craving solace. No amount of fun or surrounding yourself with the ones you love could ever compensate for an empty tank.

Jesus knew about the need for rest. And he didn’t wait till he had enough paid time off saved up to take a break.

As a devout follower of the Jewish tradition, Jesus practiced the Sabbath, which means that every week, he dedicated one day to rest. Sabbath, or Shabbat in Hebrew, simply means to “rest” or to “stop.”

Most of our Sabbath days are probably filled with work catch-up, Little League, and laundry. This is not the Sabbath of Jesus. This is the Sabbath of modern society. Turning a day of rest into another day of work can zap the joy out of a moment that was intended for, well, enjoyment.

After completing especially hard tasks, Jesus got away to recharge. He got away to the water, the countryside, and gardens for solace and rest. He required it of his followers, too.

Rest didn’t begin and end on the Sabbath.

In the Gospel of Mark, one of Jesus’ disciples recounts a time that he and his friends were so busy working that they hadn’t taken the time to stop and have a meal. How many lunch breaks or even whole days have you not eaten because you were busy? In the middle of a very busy time on the job, Jesus pulls his guys aside and tells them to sit down and eat. The rest of the day was sure to be filled with plenty to do.

Could you imagine exhausted, hungry disciples? How effective would they be for Jesus’ mission if they didn’t find time to rest after being on their feet for days at a time? Jesus knew that they’d be better at their work if they took time to rest, so he made space for his people to pause, just as he did for himself.

That’s part of what Jesus wants for those he loved (read: everyone), he wanted them to get the rest he knew they needed so they could access joy.

Consider this:

1. How can you create space to “get away to a deserted place” as the scripture says?
2. When or where do you get the most joy from rest?

Explore more of this radical look at the real Jesus in the next plan: HeGetsUs: What Jesus Gave Up.

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