During the holidays, it’s easy to run from one activity, party, and obligation to the next, completely depleting ourselves in the process. If we’re not careful, we can turn what God intended to be a restful, celebratory, sacred time into one wrought with stress. I’ve found when I feel I have the least time to rest and reflect, that’s when I need to most. As you read our guest blogger’s post below, consider how God might be calling you do come away, even if for a few moments, to rest in His embrace.
Even God Rested
By Meredith Kendall
Over a year ago we were commissioned to plant a new church in a new area. This involved moving to a state hundreds of miles from our home. We’ve worked tirelessly.
I didn’t realize how fatigued I was until my husband and I actually took a full day off.
On this particular sunny day, we headed to the beach to walk a mile, our reward was a “sinful cinnamon roll” from a restaurant I’d only seen pictures of called the Heavenly Biscuit. After devouring the entire thing, we started our trek back to the car to finish our adventure.
I made sure my husband knew how thankful I was for our time. We finished our escapade driving around a nature preserve. He even put up with me taking lots of pictures. Unfortunately no alligators or iguanas, but plenty of birds. Brown Pelicans, White Pelicans, Egrets, and Herons. My soul was being refreshed with every step and camera click.
As a pastor’s wife, it’s extremely difficult to take a traditional day of rest because on Sunday I’m usually running from the time my feet hit the ground at 5:30am to 2:00pm. Every week we have to transpose a high school into a place of worship. We’ve attempted to take two half days, but after my beach and nature preserve experience, I truly understand this verse in Genesis 2.
On the seventh day, He rested from ALL His work.
The Greek word translated as rested is shabath and is also where we get our word Sabbath. It means to repose. To cease. To put away. To rest.
I love the word repose. This is not only the act of resting or the state of being at rest. It’s a state of mind, suggesting freedom from worry.
Not once while I “shabathed”, did I worry about all the work I had accumulating at home or even what the next twenty-four hours would bring. I stayed in a reposed state all day, probably for the first time in, well, ever. I came to realize that even though I take a day off from work, that is not what God did that day. He reposed. He wasn’t worried about what needed to be done next, or what might fall apart.
We can do the same, knowing the God of Creation will take care of all that concerns us. Our world won’t fall apart if we relax, surrender it to Christ, and follow the example God set for us in Genesis.
Get to Know Meredith!
As a nationally recognized sales leader, Meredith Kendall learned how to build bridges and make connections with the heart of what people need. Now she is known as a change agent, driven by her God-given passion to equip struggling families to achieve their unique God-given potential.
Meredith’s works can be found at: My GiGi’s House: Finding Hope, The 180 Program and her podcast can be found here. Finding Your Purpose
Resources you might find helpful:
Wholly Loved’s Christmas Bible Reading Plan, Preparing Our Hearts for the Holidays. Find it HERE.
Wholly Loved’s holiday devotion, Intentional Holidays. Find it HERE.
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