Balancing Life and Rest

God’s Design for Mankind

God had a wonderful design for mankind, and we see that in Genesis, lets look here:

Genesis 1:26–27 CSB

26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, the whole earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth.” 27 So God created man in his own image; he created him in the image of God; he created them male and female.

So we see we are firstly, made in God’s image, we bear his likeness…

Genesis 2:15 CSB

15 The Lord God took the man and placed him in the garden of Eden to work it and watch over it.

So man was intentionally PLACED into the garden, to what?

Work

Watch

We Know…

We Were created to do Good Work

but look here…

Genesis 2:1–2 CSB

1 So the heavens and the earth and everything in them were completed. 2 On the seventh day God had completed his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done.

Exodus 20:8–11 CSB

8 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy: (This is a command) 9 You are to labor six days and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. You must not do any work—you, your son or daughter, your male or female servant, your livestock, or the resident alien who is within your city gates. 11 For the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and everything in them in six days; then he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and declared it holy.

Mark 2:27 CSB

27 Then he told them, “The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath.

Rest was created for our good!

it was a rhythm set for us to follow, to intentionally set aside to to both physically rest, and spiritually recharge.

God gave us a rhythm for rest, not just through creation, but through his son. The way Jesus operated should inform us how we should live…

Mark 6:30–32 CSB

30 The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all that they had done and taught. 31 He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a remote place and rest for a while.” For many people were coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat. 32 So they went away in the boat by themselves to a remote place,

Work Hard - Make Time for Rest

John 5:19 CSB

19 Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, the Son is not able to do anything on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, the Son likewise does these things.

Here we see the secret to balancing work and rest:

Do as I Do

Work Hard - Make Time for Rest

Follow the example he’s laying out!

He made sure we would be able to follow his example in giving us his spirit,

John 16:13 CSB

13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth. For he will not speak on his own, but he will speak whatever he hears. He will also declare to you what is to come.

If the spirit is leading you to rest, rest!

He invites us to rest

Matthew 11:28–30 CSB

28 “Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

How do we do this, By following the example he set, by following the rhythm he set.

Work Hard - Make Time for Rest

Practical Steps:

Establish your Priorities

Jesus didn’t scold his disciples for being out all day serving, he simply invited them to rest before they continued out.

What is most important for you? Create the time for this first!

Seek the lord in your time of rest

Create a Rhythm

Make a regular time when you can expect to rest, and hold to it.

seasons come and go, rhythms may change, but set yourself up with a rhythm

Say NO when you need to say NO

everything you say YES to, is a NO to doing something else

say no to the things you can, so you have more space to say YES to what’s truly important