Rested From All His Work (Genesis 2:2)

 


Tuesday, January 14, 2025


Psalm 34

Genesis 1:20-2:3

John 6:41-59


Observance: Sava, first archbishop of the Serbian Church (d. 1235)


Rested From All His Work (Genesis 2:2)


There are not many greater luxuries in life than sipping a cool drink after a hard day’s work. You may know of the old beer ad that immortalised the concept with a catchy tune and a memorable line about a hard-earned thirst. Resting after a job well done really is one of the best states we humans can get ourselves into.


God has been hard at work for six days – six non-stop whirlwind days of hard work, creating an entire universe out of nothing, and in record time, no less. On his final day he made a man and a woman, the divine equivalent of cleaning up the worksite at the end of the job. Everything is nicely squared away. And so, on the seventh, seeing the good job he did, God rests – and he blesses the day of rest, as well.


If resting after a hard day’s work is a luxury, getting to the end of the day and realising you haven’t done much of anything is almost a punishment. (There is, of course, contentment after a day of rest – rest itself is doing something. We speak more of a wasted day; the type of day where we keep putting things off until the dinner bell rings and the day is over.) What must be even worse is the torturous impression that one has not done much of anything over the course of their entire life.


We know from elsewhere in scripture (particularly Psalm 95 and Hebrews chapters 3 and 4) that this part of Genesis about God “resting” points to a greater and higher spiritual reality, that is, the “rest” of a redeemed people. When we get to the end of our earthly life we will, if we love and trust the Lord Jesus, enter God’s “rest”. Getting to that rest is one thing – and trusting in Jesus is the way. But what is the manner in which we will enter that rest? Will we get there with that disappointing feeling of having not done much of anything? Or will we enter that rest with a big and happy sigh; a hard-earned rest?


God in whom we rest: stimulate our hearts into action, so that we may run the race of this life with joyful energy; and confirm your promise to us that you have made in Jesus that we will, at the end, enter into your rest.

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