Mike Walsh

A few years back there was a bumper sticker that read, “He who dies with the most toys wins.” It was funny at the time, but there was a subtle truth to that statement in some people’s minds. 

Many people are wired to get all they can, the very best, the very latest and something better than the “Joneses.” It is easy for us to forget that the things we gain while we are here on earth will be useless to us when we get to where we’re going for eternity. Of course it is nice to be comfortable and to have a nicer, bigger house or boat or car, but God gives us exactly what we need. That is why I love to go to Peru. I am always reminded that the poorest Americans would be considered filthy rich in other parts of the world. It helps me to put my life and God’s blessings in my life in perspective. It is important that we can come to a place of gratitude in our lives, a place of thankfulness to the Lord for all of his blessings.

If we look at scripture, we consistently see Jesus embracing rest. God did not design our bodies to work hard continuously with no breaks. Jesus was always on a mission to complete the work that his father had given him to do, as we should be as well. But Jesus understood how these human bodies were created to have periodic rest.

Exodus 20:8-11 records the first Sabbath command, “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work.”

Sabbath is about mimicking God’s rhythm of work and rest, taking a break to simply enjoy him and the good things he’s given us through our work. We will actually be more productive and happier when we take a breather to stop and smell the roses. The Sabbath for the Israelites was given to them shortly after Moses had led them out of Egypt after they had been slaves for 400 years where they never had rest. God wanted them to see that he was setting them free from the terrible life they had lived there. His rest for the Israelites came as a stark contrast to all they had ever known.

I want to encourage you to find a time each week (a day that you call your Sabbath) where you can rest and count your blessings — a day where you thank the Lord for his abundant blessings! You will be so glad you did!

(Mike Walsh is the pastor at Glad Tidings Assembly of God.)