The Sabbath rest was the fourth of the Ten Commandments. And while we do not follow the practice of the Sabbath today, there are many parallel commands in the New Testament that we are called to fulfill.
As highlighted in the Exodus and Deuteronomy accounts of the Ten Commandments, rest is not only a reward for a job well done. It is also in preparation for a job to be done.
We rest because He has taken our burdens (Matt. 11:28-29).
We rest in order to renew our spirit (Mark 6:31).
We rest as a quieting of the soul (Ps. 46:10).
We rest to renew our hope (Acts 2:26).
We rest in Christ’s power (2 Cor. 12:9).
We rest to renew our strength (2 Cor. 13:9).
We rest to refocus our purpose (2 Cor. 13:11).
We rest in order to remember all God has done (Heb. 3:7-19).
We rest as an example of God’s rest on the seventh day (Heb. 4:4).
And we look forward to the promise of entering into His Sabbath rest (Heb. 4:1-3, 9-11).
I invite you to be transformed by rest—not just an extra 10 minutes of sleep in the morning or a power nap in the afternoon.
May we be transformed by an attitude of rest that can only be found in communion with the One who is the source of rest and peace.
