Genesis 1:26-2:3: The God Who Was There Pt. 2

Prayer of Adoration

Prayer of Adoration – God's Eternality:

Father, You’ve always been. Before anything was made—before mountains, oceans, time itself—You were already there. You are eternal. No beginning. No end. While everything around us shifts and fades, You remain the same.

You created time, but You’re not bound by it like we are. You see the end from the beginning. To You, a thousand years pass like a moment. And still, You’re near to us—right here, right now.

In a world that feels uncertain and fast-moving, You are steady, faithful, and true. You’ve been our refuge in every generation, and You’ll still be our refuge long after this life is over.

So we lift our voices in praise. You deserve all glory—yesterday, today, and forever. Glorify Your name in our hearts, in our church, and in all the earth. We love You, Lord. Amen.

Pastoral Prayer

Gracious and Sovereign God,

We come before You this morning with grateful hearts, remembering that every good and perfect gift is from above—including the freedom we enjoy in this country. As we reflect on Independence Day this past week, we thank You for the blessings of liberty, for those who have given sacrificially to preserve it, and for the opportunity we have to worship openly and freely. May we use our freedom not as a cover for self-indulgence, but to serve one another in love, as those who are ultimately free in Christ.

And yet, Lord, our hearts are heavy. We lift up the families affected by the devastating flash floods in Central Texas. You know the names and faces of each child still missing from Camp Mystic—You are the God who sees, who hears, who saves. Comfort the grieving, strengthen the rescue workers, and bring Your peace that surpasses all understanding to rest over that entire community. We pray that these children would be found alive. Lord, have mercy.

We thank You for Evangel Baptist Church and the gospel foundation they laid in planting us in 1968. We pray now that You would guard them with gospel fidelity—keeping their doctrine sound, their preaching Christ-centered, and their witness clear. Give them faithfulness and boldness to proclaim Jesus with courage and compassion, and fill them with love that reflects the heart of Christ in both care and community. Strengthen their leaders with wisdom and their members with joy, and anchor them with unwavering commitment to the gospel, to Your kingdom, and to our risen King. Use them, Lord, for Your glory and the good of their city. In Jesus’ name, amen.

We give You thanks, Lord, for Your faithful provision here in our church. For every need You’ve met, every ministry You’ve sustained, every soul You’ve drawn to Yourself—we give You praise. And we ask, as we look ahead, that You would continue to keep us—united in love, grounded in truth, and bold in mission. Guard our members with wisdom and humility. Raise up laborers for the harvest. Provide what we need—not just financially, but spiritually, that we might be faithful to the calling You’ve given us.

And now, Father, as we come to Your Word, give us soft hearts and attentive minds. Use Your Spirit to convict, comfort, and conform us to the image of Your Son. Help Your servant to proclaim Your truth with clarity and courage. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of all our hearts be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer.

In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Sermon

Scripture Reading

Genesis 1:26–2:3 ESV

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.

Intro

Text: Genesis 1:31–2:3

(spoken with warmth and gravity) “In the beginning, God…”

That’s how the Bible begins—not with a problem to solve or a hero to follow, but with God. Last week, we began this series by slowing down to see Him as He truly is: the God who was there, eternal and sovereign, powerful and personal. And we saw that when He speaks, galaxies form and life explodes into being. He is the God who speaks—and His Word always brings order, light, and life.

But what kind of world did God create? What kind of God creates this world? Today we continue that story—and we discover that the God who was there is not only powerful and wise—He is good.

We come to the final verse of Genesis 1 and the first few of chapter 2, and we’re invited to step back—not to work harder, but to wonder deeper. God looks over everything He has made and declares it “very good.” And then, something astonishing happens.

God rests.

Not because He is tired, but because the work is complete. He ceases. He enjoys. He blesses the day and makes it holy. And by doing so, He tells us something essential about Himself and about us.

Let’s be honest: most of us don’t rest well.

Even when we have time off, our minds are racing. We’re checking our phones. We’re thinking about what’s next. We live in a world addicted to productivity. A world where being busy is a badge of honor, and slowing down feels like laziness.

But have you ever had a day—a rare day—when you truly rested?

No guilt. No striving. No noise. Just… peace. A day where you breathed deeply, laughed freely, and felt whole again?

That longing inside you isn’t weakness. It isn’t laziness. It’s spiritual. It’s a trace of Eden, an echo of the rest we were made for.

Before sin entered the world, before there was any brokenness to escape or pain to recover from—there was rest. Built into the fabric of creation. A gift from a good God to His people.

That’s where we’re going today. We’re going to see:

The God Who Is Good — who declared His creation very good.

The God Who Rests — who blessed a day and made it holy.

And we’ll consider what that means for us, especially as a church gathered each Sunday to worship—not just any god, but the God who was there. The God who is still here.

Body

III. The God Who Is Good (Genesis 1:31)

“And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.”

(Begin by bringing the congregation into the moment…)

You can almost picture the scene. After six days of speaking, separating, filling, and forming—after the stars are hung, the oceans stirred, the birds loosed into the skies, and the man and woman formed and blessed—God steps back and surveys it all.

And what does He see?

Everything that He had made.

Not just the light and the land. Not just the animals or the oceans. Not just the man and the woman. He looks at the whole of it—the design and the detail, the diversity and the order, the beauty and the blessing—and Scripture says, “Behold, it was very good.”

A. “Very Good”: A Declaration of Delight

Now don’t miss the weight of that statement. This is not a casual remark—this is God’s own judgment on His work. He is not grading on a curve. He’s not rounding up the grade. He looks at what He’s made and declares it very good—exceedingly good, beautifully good, rightly ordered, joyfully complete.

And that’s a window into the heart of God.

The God of Genesis 1 is not a cold cosmic architect. He’s not just a problem-solver or a puzzle-builder. He is a joyful Creator. A God who delights in His work. Who loves what He’s made. Who calls it not just useful or functional—but good.

This is not just a statement about the world. It’s a statement about Himself.

B. God's Goodness Reflected in His Creation

From day one, everything God touches brings life. Light. Separation. Purpose. Growth. Rhythm. Joy.

Genesis 1 has been building toward this: “And God saw that it was good… good… good… good… good…” and now: “Very good.” It’s the exclamation point. The crescendo. The shout of satisfaction.

What kind of God is this?

He is not the God of chaos. He is not the God of harshness. He is not the God of cold indifference.

He is the God of abundance. The God of beauty. The God who makes deserts bloom and calls stars by name. The God who makes man from the dust and crowns him with glory.

He is, as the psalmist says, the God who is “good and does good” (Psalm 119:68).

C. Why This Matters

And that truth matters—because many people imagine a god who is powerful, but not good. Distant. Harsh. Suspicious of joy. Ready to strike but reluctant to smile.

But not the God of Genesis.

The first thing He shows us is His goodness.

Before we get laws, we get love. Before there is sin, there is shalom. Before there is guilt, there is goodness. Before we see ourselves, we see Him—and we see that He is good.

Friends, you need that vision of God burned into your soul.

Because when life is hard—and it will be—your heart will ask: “Is God still good?”

And Genesis 1:31 will answer, “Yes. He always has been.”

D. Application: Resist Cynicism—Recover Wonder

But if we’re honest, we don’t often see the world as “very good,” do we?

We see brokenness. Suffering. Evil. Exhaustion. Our newsfeeds scream “very bad.” Our hearts whisper “not good enough.”

And yet here in this first chapter, God invites us to see the world through His eyes—to recover wonder.

To see a sunrise and say, “He made that.” To hold a newborn and say, “He formed that.” To taste a peach or gaze at the mountains or feel the laughter of a child and say, “This is a gift—from a good God.”

The world is fallen—but not forsaken. And even in its brokenness, it still echoes with His glory.

So don’t let sin, suffering, or cynicism define your view of God.

Let Genesis 1:31 do that.

He saw all that He had made… And behold… It was very good.

And then God does something shocking. He rests.

Let’s continue reading in chapter 2

IV. The God Who Rests (Genesis 2:1–3)

Genesis 2:1–3 ESV

1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 2 And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. 3 So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.

So we’ve seen it: God is not just powerful—He is good. His creation isn’t just functional—it’s beautiful, ordered, full of life. He fills what He forms, and everything He makes reflects His wisdom and generosity.

But the creation account doesn’t end with a bang. It ends with rest. And not because anything went wrong—but because everything was exactly right.

That’s striking. In a world like ours, that runs on urgency, performance, and exhaustion, we often measure value by productivity. But God’s final act in creation is not more work—it’s stopping. Resting.

And not only does God rest—He sets that rest apart as holy. It's the first thing in the Bible that God makes holy, not a place, not a person—but a day, a rhythm of rest. Why?

That’s what this next point is about. It shows us something essential not just about our design, but about God’s character, and ultimately about His salvation.

A. God Finished His Work and Rested

“And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested…”

Let’s be clear: God didn’t rest because He was tired. The infinite Creator of the universe doesn’t need to recharge. Isaiah 40:28 says, “The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary.”

This is not the rest of weariness—it is the rest of completeness. It’s not weakness—it’s satisfaction. God finished His work. Nothing was lacking. Nothing needed revision. He steps back from His creation and delights in it. And then, He stops—not because He must, but because He can.

His work is done. The masterpiece is complete. The brush has been set down. The Word has been spoken—and all creation echoes His goodness. So God rests.

God is not a slave to His own work. He is not a frantic, overcommitted deity trying to keep everything spinning. He is not in a rush. He is not stressed. He finishes, He delights, and He rests.

And that rest shows us something not only about who God is—but about how we were made to live. Built into creation is this sacred rhythm: six days of work, one day of rest.

If even God Himself stopped and delighted in His work, what does that say to us in our restless, busy, burnout-prone culture? It says this: you were not made to go non-stop. You were made to work hard—and to rest well.

Because resting is ultimately not about health or time management. It’s about trust.

To rest is to trust.

To rest is to say, “I am not God. I’m not the Creator. I’m not the Sustainer. I can stop, because He doesn’t.”

It’s a declaration: “The world keeps spinning even when I stop working. My value is not in my productivity. My worth is not in what I accomplish.”

That’s hard for us, isn’t it? In a world that never slows down, where your phone never turns off, and your worth feels tied to how much you get done—rest feels unnatural. Even irresponsible. But in God’s economy, rest is not a sign of weakness—it’s a sign of worship.

God rests because His work is finished. We rest because His work continues—even when ours doesn’t.

This is why Jesus could sleep in the boat during the storm. He trusted the Father. He wasn't anxious. He knew who held the winds and waves.

And that’s the kind of rest He invites us into—not just physical stillness, but soul-deep trust in the goodness and sovereignty of God.

So before the Sabbath is ever a command—it is a grace. Before it’s a law—it’s a gift. Before it’s something we do—it’s something God does. And by doing it, He says: “You can stop. I’ve got this.”

This isn’t just good advice for your weekly schedule. It’s a theological truth.

Rest isn’t optional—it’s worship. When we rest in the goodness of God’s creation, we are imitating our Creator. And we are saying, “This is enough. I don’t have to be God. I don’t have to keep the world spinning. I trust the One who does.”

My God will complete the good work He began from before the beginning of the world.

And He doesn’t just stop here with rest—He sets this day apart.

That brings us to the second truth we see here:

B. He Blessed and Sanctified the Seventh Day

“So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.” (Genesis 2:3)

This is the first time in Scripture the word “holy” appears. The first thing that God calls holy in all of Scripture… is a day. It's not tied to a place, or a person, or even a temple. It’s tied to time.

God sets apart the seventh day—He blesses it, and He makes it holy. In doing that, He’s not just marking the end of the week. He’s giving humanity a gift: a rhythm of grace. A weekly reminder that the world is held together by His hands, not ours.

God embeds this rhythm into creation itself. It’s hardwired into the very structure of time—work and worship, labor and delight, effort and enjoyment. It’s not something that came later with Moses or the Ten Commandments—it’s right here, in the garden, before sin ever enters the picture.

The Sabbath is not merely a law to obey—it is a pattern to enjoy. It’s a gracious marker from God that says: “Slow down. Remember Me. Rejoice in what I’ve done.”

And for the people of Israel, this became a vital sign of their covenant relationship with God. It was a weekly declaration: “We are not slaves. We are not Pharaoh’s people. We are God’s people.” Slaves don’t get a day off. But free people do. And so every Sabbath was a little act of defiance against Egypt, against empire, against the grind.

It was a holy rebellion of rest.

It’s still that for us today. No, we are not bound to the Old Covenant law. But the gift remains.

And too many of us treat it like a suggestion—or an inconvenience. We fill our schedules to the brim, run seven days a week, and then wonder why our souls are thin and our joy is weak.

But what if God meant what He said? What if setting aside one day a week to rest, worship, and remember Him really is holy?

Friends, we don’t just need rest. We need holy rest. We need space in our lives for awe. Space to remember that God is God, and we are not.

And the seventh day reminds us: the God who worked is also the God who wants to be with us. He doesn’t just want servants. He wants sons and daughters who slow down to enjoy Him.

That’s why He made the day holy. Not to burden us—but to bless us.

C. Rest is a Theological Statement

God didn’t rest because He needed to. He rested because everything was done. He looked at His work and said, “It is very good.” And then He stepped into the joy of completion.

But here’s where this gets deeply personal: our rest reflects what we believe about God.

To rest is to say:

“God is in control.”

“I trust Him to keep the world turning while I sleep.”

“My worth isn’t based on my productivity, but on His provision.”

And when we don’t rest—when we refuse to stop, slow down, or even pause—it’s often because, deep down, we believe that everything depends on us.

Let’s be honest—some of us wear our busyness like a badge of honor. We say we trust God, but live like it all falls apart if we stop for a day. But if God rested, and if He calls us to follow Him in that rest, then our refusal to rest isn’t strength. It’s unbelief.

Rest is a theological statement.

It says:

“God, You are enough. Your grace is sufficient. You don’t need my nonstop effort to prove my worth or earn Your love. I can stop, because You never do.”

That’s why, in the New Testament, the theme of rest doesn’t disappear—it’s fulfilled. Jesus Himself becomes our rest.

He says in Matthew 11:28:

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

Not just for your body. For your soul.

And then in Hebrews 4, we’re told that there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. Not just a day on the calendar—but a future hope and a present promise. A rest that begins now and is fulfilled forever in Christ.

Christian, don’t miss this—God’s rest at creation was just the beginning. The ultimate rest is still coming. And it’s not found in a place. It’s found in a Person.

You were not made to run endlessly. You were made to walk with God. You were made to enjoy Him. You were made to rest in Him.

And so your rest is not lazy. It’s not irresponsible. It’s faithful.

It’s a weekly sermon you preach to your own heart:

“God has finished His work. I am not my own savior. I trust Him.”

D. The Lord’s Day Is Our Covenant Renewal Gathering

Acts 20:7; Revelation 1:10; Hebrews 10:24–25

If you walked into a gathering of early Christians just after Jesus’ resurrection, you wouldn’t find them worshiping on the seventh day, Saturday, like their Jewish neighbors. You’d find them meeting on Sunday—the first day of the week—because that’s the day Jesus rose.

Acts 20:7 says,

“On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread…”

This wasn’t random. This wasn’t pragmatic. This was resurrection-centered. Revelation 1:10 shows us that the early church even had a theological name for this day—“The Lord’s Day.”

So why does this matter?

Because Christian worship on Sunday isn’t just about convenience. It’s about covenant. It’s about the new creation. It’s about Jesus Christ—who rose on the first day of the week, defeating death and inaugurating a new world.

And just as God rested on the seventh day of the old creation, now we gather on the first day of the new creation to rest in the finished work of Jesus.

Now hear me clearly: this is not just a one-to-one replacement of the Old Testament Sabbath. We aren’t simply moving Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday. Something greater is here. Someone greater.

Hebrews 4:9–10 tells us:

“So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.”

Jesus is our true Sabbath rest. We no longer keep a Sabbath to earn favor with God—we rest in Christ because He has earned it all.

And so every Sunday becomes a kind of weekly covenant renewal.

We open God’s Word and hear His voice again.

We pray and sing and remember His promises.

We come to the Lord’s Table and proclaim His death until He comes.

It’s like a spiritual reset. Every week, we step out of the noise of the world and into the presence of God to rehearse the gospel, re-anchor our hearts, and realign our lives.

But here’s where we need to pause. Because many Christians come to church not expecting covenantal renewal—but expecting personal fulfillment.

They come looking for inspiration, for practical life tips, for an emotional pick-me-up, or even for entertainment. They come asking, “What will I get out of this?” instead of “How will God meet with His people in covenant love?”

And that subtle shift changes everything.

If we come looking to be fulfilled, we will leave empty. But if we come looking to be formed, to remember the covenant God made with us in Christ, to rehearse His grace and realign our hearts—then Sunday becomes sacred again. It becomes rest again. It becomes a re-centering on God, not on ourselves.

Hebrews 10:24–25 urges us:

“Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another…”

Why? Because gathering matters. Because worship is rest. Not just the absence of activity, but the presence of glory.

Sunday is more than a tradition. It’s not just what we do because we grew up this way. The Lord’s Day is a gift—a sacred, counter-formative habit that trains us to love what God loves and live like it’s all true.

It breaks the cycle of consumerism.

It interrupts the false rhythms of performance and self-reliance.

It reminds us that we belong to another kingdom.

So when we gather on the Lord’s Day, we are not just “going to church.” We are standing together in the light of resurrection. We are celebrating a covenant. We are stepping into a rest that Christ Himself purchased with His blood.

Worship is the center of Christian rest. It is how we cease from the world’s rhythms and enter into God’s presence to be formed by His Word, fed by His grace, and fixed on His promises.

And here’s something beautiful: Under the Old Covenant, the Sabbath came at the end of the week. You worked six days, then you rested.

But under the New Covenant, we begin the week with rest. The Lord’s Day is day one. Why?

Because the gospel isn’t: “Work hard, then maybe you’ll get to rest.” The gospel is: “Jesus finished the work. Now rest in Him—and then go live for Him.”

We don’t rest from our work anymore—we work from our rest. We don’t strive all week to earn grace—we start the week by receiving grace, and then we go out to join Jesus in His mission.

This is the rhythm of the resurrection life: Rest in Christ. Then rise and walk in newness of life. Receive. Then go and serve. Worship. Then witness.

The Lord’s Day isn’t just a break from life. It’s a weekly launching pad into a world that desperately needs resurrection hope.

So again—Sunday is more than a tradition. It’s not just what we do because we grew up this way. The Lord’s Day is a gift—a sacred, counter-formative rhythm that trains us to love what God loves and live like it’s all true.

It’s not a rule to restrict you—it’s a rhythm to restore you.

Conclusion: Resting in Christ: A Present and Future Reality (Matthew 11:28–30; Hebrews 4:1–11; Revelation 14:13)

Conclusion: Christ, Our Greater Sabbath — Resting in Him Now and Forever

Brothers and sisters, the Sabbath was never meant to be merely a day on the calendar. From the beginning, it was a sign—a shadow—pointing forward to a greater rest yet to come. And that rest has come—not in a day, but in a Person.

When Jesus died on the cross, He cried out, “It is finished.” Just as the work of creation was finished in Genesis 2, the work of new creation was finished at the cross.

Because of Jesus, we are invited into a rest far greater than one day a week—a soul-deep rest that begins now and will last forever.

The writer of Hebrews tells us to “strive to enter that rest” (Hebrews 4)—not by our own efforts or good works, but by faith in the finished work of Christ.

So every Lord’s Day—every Sunday—is a small taste of the eternal rest that awaits us. Every Sunday is a rehearsal for glory.

What began in Genesis 2—a holy day of rest and worship—continues every time the people of God gather to behold the glory of God in the face of Christ.

Genesis 1 is not just an ancient poem or a distant story. It is the beginning of our story. The God who was there at the beginning—the eternal, sovereign Creator—is the same God who has spoken life into our dead hearts by His Word. He is the same God who made us, saved us, and still sustains us.

The same Word that said, “Let there be light,” has now shone into our hearts to give us “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6).

And what is the only proper response to such a God?

It is worship. Wonder. Rest. Joyful obedience.

But more than that, it is repentance and faith.

If you have never trusted Jesus as your Savior, if you have been striving to find rest apart from Him, today is the day to come to Him.

Turn from your own works, your own efforts, your own striving.

Turn to Christ—who has finished the work of salvation for you.

Believe in Him alone for your forgiveness and your true rest.

He invites all who are weary and burdened: “Come to me, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)

Will you accept His invitation today?

Will you cease from your labor and enter into His rest by trusting in Jesus?

If so, confess your need before God now, and ask Him to give you faith to receive the gift of salvation.

Let today be the beginning of a new rhythm—of resting in Christ, worshiping Him, and living for His glory.

So let us lift our voices with the rest of creation.

Let us join the saints and angels in praise.

Let us rest in the goodness of our Creator and Redeemer.

And let us keep the rhythm He has written into the world—until the day that time gives way to eternity, and rest gives way to glory.

Confession and Repentance

Father God, We come before You today recognizing who You are — the eternal, sovereign, and good Creator. You spoke the universe into being, and You saw that it was very good. Yet we confess, Lord, that too often we live as if the world is uncertain, as if Your goodness is not enough. We strive in our own strength, we carry burdens that You never intended for us to bear alone, and we seek rest in things that leave us weary and empty.

Forgive us, Lord, for our unbelief. Forgive us for resisting the rest You offer through Jesus Christ. Forgive us for turning away from the true Sabbath rest found only in Him. We repent of our striving and our self-reliance, and we ask You now to grant us the grace to cease from our labor and to trust fully in Your finished work.

Jesus, You are our rest. You have done what we could never do. You have finished the work of redemption, and You invite all who are weary to come and find peace in You. By Your Spirit, help us to lay down our burdens and receive Your gift of rest. Help us to worship You with joyful hearts, to delight in Your presence, and to live renewed by Your grace.

Lord, we surrender to You today. Make us Your people who gather faithfully on the Lord’s Day to remember Your goodness, to renew our covenant with You through Word and Sacrament, and to be formed into the image of Your Son.

We pray all this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and our Sabbath rest. Amen.

Assurance

Hear these words from Romans 8:1-2: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.”

If you have placed your trust in Jesus, this is your assurance today: You are no longer under condemnation. The Spirit of God has set you free—free from the power of sin and death. This freedom is not just future hope; it is your present reality in Christ.

So live today in the joy and peace of this gospel truth: In Jesus, you are forgiven, freed, and fully accepted.

As we stand in the reality of God’s grace and forgiveness, let our hearts respond in worship and awe. No longer condemned, we are called to glorify the name of the One who has rescued us, redeemed us, and restored us.

So now, let’s lift our voices together and sing “Glorify Thy Name,” declaring the goodness and glory of our God.

Benediction

As you go from this place, may you go resting in the finished work of Christ— your Creator, Redeemer, and eternal King. May the God who was there in the beginning go with you into every moment ahead.

And until we gather again, may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you and keep you— now and forever.

Go in peace, and walk in His rest. Amen.