Six days you shall do your work, but on the seventh day you shall rest; that your ox and your donkey may have rest, and the son of your servant woman, and the alien, may be refreshed.
Exodus 23:12
But because I can rest better leaving it clean, I vacuum and sweep and wash before I take off. And then my family rests better while I’m gone.
When we rest, others rest too.
But it seems backwards to me.
If I am resting, doesn’t someone else have to take up my slack?
When God commanded the Israelites not to work on the Sabbath (Exodus 23:12), he also commanded rest for their animals and servants. He knew everyone needed refreshing.
Naphash, the Hebrew word for refreshed, literally means “may take breath; be re-spirited or new-souled.”
The body needs deep breaths. The soul does too.
Giving up a claim on work from yourself as well as from others is a deep inhale. It’s relying on God to meet your needs instead of relying on you or your helpers.
It’s remembering it’s always God who meets your needs anyway.
A New Covenant equivalent is found in Acts 3:19-20.
Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out,
that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus.
Acts 3:19-20
Anapsuxis, the Greek work for refreshing, means “a recovery of breath.”
It’s how we’re to live in the now—every day.
In the perpetual presence of the Lord.
Refreshed. Recovered. Revived.
Rested.
He wants us to live rested.
Then we can help others rest, too. When we stop demanding we earn our own way into the Kingdom, we stop demanding it from others.
When we understand the free gift of grace, we extend it to others.
Rest in Him.
Enjoy the clean house.
It’s God gift of rest to me. And to you.
For by grace you have been saved through faith.
And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9
13 comments:
"He wants us to live rested." What a joyful way to live ~ leaning on Him to take care of me is something I am beginning to "get".
Thank you, Lisa.
"Rest in Him.
Enjoy the clean house.
It’s God gift of rest to me. And to you."
So good! I really enjoyed your post.
Drinking in the idea of "living rested"... such a lovely thought!
Thanks for this post!
I liked your statement: "When we stop demanding we earn our own way into the Kingdom, we stop demanding it from others." This is so true that we often judge because others are not working as hard as we are. Time to rest in the Lord Such a great post!
Ah, that "recovery of breath"---something new to me.
Thank you!
I appreciate your perspective here. I'm often trying to think of ways I can make myself rest, but there's a lot more to it. Creating space for others to rest gives me pause and forces me to rethink a couple of things.
This makes sense --you've made me think and I'm nodding, yes. In retrospect it seems a simple concept, but we humans can complicate anything and everything.
Thanks for this--I needed it.
the soul needs deep breaths.... oh, i like this, lisa. i'm going to practice letting my soul breathe this week. bless you.
Coming here today was like taking a deep breath and resting!!!! Thank you for you post it so encouraged me.
Lisa, "living rested" strikes a chord in my soul. Thanks for this thought-provoking post.
I love this post, Lisa. I love learning about Naphash! You know I do, girl! :) "It's relying on God to met your neds instead of relying on you or your helpers."
This is a journey that is pleasurable for me. Once it was unpleasant, but after going through continuously, I am always freer for it. Thanks, Lisa!
It's always God who meets your needs anyway---so true! I have a friend who says practicing Sabbath is the ultimate form of trust. I like that!
Rest, refereshment, recovery of breath. I like this association. I also love that the rest isn't for one group of people but all are invited. And I want to be a person that is restful, that I invite anyone who interacts with me to just be.
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