Why am I so tired all the time? (Recovering healthy rhythms of work and rest)
27/11/2022 - Jody Destry
Gen 2:1-3
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.
Observations:
- The rhythm of work and rest created by God and embedded in the creation story.
- God modelled a rhythm of rest to us from the beginning of time.
- God didn’t rest because he was tired – He’s God – he doesn’t get tired. So what was the purpose of this rest? To stop, to step back and to delight the creative work he had just completed. (He saw that it was good!).
- Everything God does is intentional.
Ex 16:12-30
“I have heard the grumbling of the people of Israel. Say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’”
13 In the evening quail came up and covered the camp, and in the morning dew lay around the camp. 14 And when the dew had gone up, there was on the face of the wilderness a fine, flake-like thing, fine as frost on the ground. 15 When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat. 16 This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Gather of it, each one of you, as much as he can eat. You shall each take an omer, according to the number of the persons that each of you has in his tent.’” 17 And the people of Israel did so. They gathered, some more, some less. 18 But when they measured it with an omer, whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack. Each of them gathered as much as he could eat. 19 And Moses said to them, “Let no one leave any of it over till the morning.” 20 But they did not listen to Moses. Some left part of it till the morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them. 21 Morning by morning they gathered it, each as much as he could eat; but when the sun grew hot, it melted.
22 On the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers each. And when all the leaders of the congregation came and told Moses, 23 he said to them, “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Tomorrow is a day of solemn rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord; bake what you will bake and boil what you will boil, and all that is left over lay aside to be kept till the morning.’” 24 So they laid it aside till the morning, as Moses commanded them, and it did not stink, and there were no worms in it.
25 Moses said, “Eat it today, for today is a Sabbath to the Lord; today you will not find it in the field. 26 For six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, which is a Sabbath, there will be none.”
27 On the seventh day some of the people went out to gather, but they found none. 28 And the Lord said to Moses, “How long will you refuse to keep my commandments and my laws? 29 See! The Lord has given you the Sabbath; therefore on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Remain each of you in his place; let no one go out of his place on the seventh day.” 30 So the people rested on the seventh day.
Observations:
- The Lord demonstrating to his people that He was their ultimate provider and sustainer.
- Slaves are driven by fear – Their slave mindset prohibited them from trusting God to provide.
- Sabbath/rest is a gift from God
- What does a ‘Sabbath to the Lord’ mean?
What is Sabbath?
Hebrew // Shabbat // to rest
A gift from God to His people to cease all our work and all our striving and to rest in and to worship and delight in God as our provider and sustainer.
Sabbath is a biblically based principle whereby Christians are called to set aside a full day (24hrs) every 7 days to cease from our work (paid and unpaid) in order to rest in God, to delight in God and to worship God.
Q: What or who are our modern day slave drivers? What is it that stops us from resting?
The thread of rhythms of spiritual rest run throughout scripture from Gen-Rev
Mark 2:23-28 (Jesus speaking)
“The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”
Jesus modelled healthy rhythms of work and rest.
– He was always unhurried
– He withdrew regularly to reconnect with God, to pray, to rest
– He worked from his rest (not the other way around)
A helpful rhythm:
Depart Daily
Withdraw weekly
Meditate Monthly
Abide Annually
Q: Where are your quiet places of rest and retreat?
Q; What might it look like to create some sabbath pauses in your day / week / month / year?
A Pathway back to sabbath // developing new and lasting rhythms of rest
Start Small:
- have a conversation with your family and friends about how you might start to build some sabbath pauses / rhythms of rest into your week.
- Pick a regular time in your week (and block it out in your calendar)
- Sabbath is communal – do it with others e.g. an intentional meal with friends to connect and commune and share rich conversation, create a sabbath rhythm with your kids (device free time – connecting together)
- Preparation is everything!!! (put in your calendar, let others know, use the rest of the week well to set yourself up for an uninterrupted sabbath time)
Sabbath Practices:
- Ideas: things like a morning walk, a morning coffee in silence and stillness, pausing to pray at a regular time everyday, an evening examen or time of reflection, intentional time unplugged from technology
- do things that bring you joy and help you rest and replenish and delight in God (walking, sleeping, riding, gardening, cooking, nature).
- work (paid / unpaid)
- chores
- running errands
- shopping
- studying
- use technology (internet / TV / gaming)
Matt 11:28-30
28-30 “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”