Mark 6:31 (NIV): Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

God made us to need rest. Rest renews, refuels and re-energizes us. It prevents us from being burned out and stressed out. It allows us to serve God and serve people with energy and passion that is not available when we stretch ourselves too thin. It gives us the physical and mental stamina we need to tackle whatever comes up at work or at home.

God ordained rest from the beginning. The all-knowing, all-capable Creator of the universe and life itself took time to rest. He established the Sabbath and feasts that made rest a law in the old testament. Imagine a culture where refusing to rest was punishable!

There are several reasons we don’t get the rest we require. We wear the title of “busy” like it’s a badge of honor. We say “yes” to too many things. We feel guilty when we slow down. We’ll rest tomorrow. We are called to emulate Christ in every way that we can. Jesus rested and so can you! The Bible gives several examples where Jesus rested, Matthew 14:23, Mark 1:35, John 6:15 and Luke 5:16 just to name a few. When was the last time you got some real rest?

Heavenly Father, You knew from the beginning that Your creation would need rest. Thank you for giving us a way to renew ourselves physically and spiritually. Please forgive us for neglecting this gift. Help us to remember how important it is to rest in You and open our eyes to those opportunities. Amen.